Theo Walcott has urged Mikel Arteta to replace William Saliba with Riccardo Calafiori at centre-half against Liverpool next weekend, fearing for the Arsenal star if he comes up against Mohamed Salah.
Saliba was shown a straight red card on Saturday night as the Gunners fell to a 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth. The France international is now set to miss three huge Premier League fixtures; at home to Liverpool next Sunday followed by games away to Newcastle United and Chelsea.
Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have developed perhaps the best centre-half partnership in Europe, serving as the bedrock of Arsenal’s Premier League title challenges over the last two seasons.
But Arteta will have to reshuffle his defensive line for the visit of Arne Slot’s side.
Summer signing Calafiori is the natural replacement, shining in that role for Italy and previous club Bologna last season.
The 22-year-old has operated at left-back in the early stages of his Arsenal career but former Gunners forward Walcott believes he could be vulnerable up against the pace of Liverpool star Salah next weekend.
Such a move would leave the left-back role free with Walcott believing Oleksandr Zinchenko should bd brought back into the fold.
‘I would probably move Calafiori in [to centre-half], I would be worried about Salah’s pace against him because Calafiori isn’t the fastest,’ Salah told Sky Sports.
‘And maybe bring in the experience of Zinchenko. They might need more of a talker, someone who knows this sort of fixture and the importance of it. Mikel knows that. It is one of those where they really need to get a result.’
Jamie Redknapp was quick to remind Walcott how Salah tormented Zinchenko in the same fixture just before Christmas last year. The two agreed that Jurrien Timber, who missed the defeat at Bournemouth, could be another solution.
‘Zinchenko had a lot of problems against Salah last year. Just having that one player not available disrupts everything,’ Redknapp said.
Walcott added: ‘They have to get Timber back.’
Defeat at the Vitality Stadium saw Arsenal miss the chance to move top of the Premier League. Liverpool can retain top spot with a win over Chelsea on Sunday.
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