EPL 2022-23: 'Will pat his back because he was superb' - Arteta on Saliba impressing on debut

Arsenal was off to a winning start in EPL 2022-23, defeating Crystal Palace 2-0. Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta was impressed with William Saliba impressing on his debut.

It was a convincing start for English giants Arsenal, as it kicked off the 2022-23 English Premier League (EPL) with a decent win over fellow Londoner Crystal Palace. Played at Selhurst Park, the Gunners raced to a 2-0 victory, thanks to the header from Gabriel Martinelli in the 20th minute with an assist from Oleksandr Zinchenko, followed by Marc Guehi's own goal in the 85th. However, debutant defender William Saliba made a good impact in the back, restricting the Eagles' attacking line-up, which did impress the visitors' head coach Mikel Arteta, as he promised, patting him on the back for being superb.

"For William [Saliba], to ask him to come here in his first Premier League game away from home against this physical team is a big task and the way the boy played and resolved every situation, he deserves a lot of credit. I will pat his back because he was superb. Alex [Alexandre Lacazette] and Gabby [Gabriel Jesus] have the experience and have done it many times. However, it's still a new team, and the way they've adapted is impressive," said Arteta after the match.

"It is his [Saliba's] character. He's a humble guy, and he wants to be coached, and he wants to learn. He's focused and determined to be a success here and has been very patient. We've tried to explain and develop him the right way, and we're happy for him," Arteta added.

Talking about the momentum going ahead into the season, Arteta concluded, "We talk about the supporters again and the atmosphere they created here. It's incredible. The energy and connection you feel between them and the supporters are special, so we're looking forward to playing at the Emirates in front of them in a few days."