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Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães have been among the best centre-back pairings in the league over the last two years. Last season, the duo formed the heart of the defence that conceded just 29 goals — the lowest in the league.
However, Arsenal have struggled to maintain their high defensive standards this season. With 10 games still left in the Premier League, they have already let in 24 goals.
“I want to be one day [one of] the best defenders in the world,” Saliba told a news conference on Tuesday.
“You have to work a lot, to win trophies as well, it’s my dream. I think I’m not the best at the moment because this season I’ve not been so good. It’s like this, I have to review my season, but this season not so good. I have to watch my partner Gabriel who has been so, so good this season. I have to focus on myself and work more.”
When pressed on where he has been lacking, Saliba said: “My concentration. I have to score more, help my team to win some trophies. When you win trophies you can say I’m the best, but as I said, this season we are still in Champions League. The Premier League is not finished, I have to push myself to help my team.”
The Champions League presents Arsenal’s best chance at winning silverware this season. They are second in the Premier League, 15 points behind leaders Liverpool, and have been knocked out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
The north London side have one foot in the Champions League quarterfinals, going into the second leg of their round-of-16 tie against PSV Eindhoven up 7-1.
“If we want to be there in the next few months we have to win tomorrow. Everybody wants to win in the Champions League, this competition is one you watch when you’re young. We’ll give everything and anything can happen,” he said.
“I think we are close, very close [to silverware],” he added.
“We’ll …
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