Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta, has reserved special praise for William Saliba and Aaron Ramsdale after the Gunners defeated Crystal Palace in the opening game of the new Premier League season.

Arteta watched as Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 in the Premier League on Friday night.

Gabriel Martinelli’s first-half header and Marc Guehi’s own goal in the second half gave Arsenal the victory over Palace at Selhurst Park.

When told that Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher named Saliba as his Player of the Match, Arteta responded at his post-match press conference: “Rightly so, he was superb tonight, phenomenal.

“His relationship with Gabriel, his understanding with the back four, for him to play his first Premier League game away from home against Palace, real credit to the boy because he stood with a big presence and a lot of composure.

“The way we started the game and played in the first half hour was superb – we should have scored more.

“We had to play the game in ways we did not want to as it went on because Palace are able to do that to you.”