Match of the Day host Gary Lineker thinks Arsenal's poor defensive showings can be put down to the absence of William Saliba.
Saliba has been out since he suffered a back injury during Arsenal's Europa League game against Sporting CP on March 16 with Rob Holding deputising for the Frenchman. A mainstay of Arsenal's defence as they go for the Premier League title this season, Mikel Arteta's side have conceded seven goals in the past three games without Saliba.
Southampton put three past Arsenal in a draw at the Emirates Stadium on Friday night with the Premier League's bottom side winning 2-0 and 3-1 during the game. And in the two games preceding the Saints' trip to London, Arsenal let 2-0 leads slip at West Ham United and Liverpool to put the title in City's hands.
England legend Lineker thinks Saliba's absence has coincided with a downturn in form from Arsenal's defence, with a graphic displayed during Match of the Day's coverage of the Southampton game outlining the extent to which the player is being missed. Without Saliba, Arsenal concede on average four more shots per game and double the amount of big chances they usually allow when the Frenchman is in the team.
"With seven goals in three games it cannot be a coincidence can it?" Lineker asked pundits Jermaine Defoe and Ashley Williams. "This man here is frustrated and he wants to get himself back on the pitch as soon as possible," defender Williams said.
"If you look at the stats here, the win percentage with and without him and the points per game and big chances conceded per game - they are obviously a lot better with him in the team. They had such a settled back line before, they just do not look the same team when he is not on the pitch."
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