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Porto 1-0 Arsenal: 3 talking points as Gunners beaten in Portugal

  • Arsenal slipped to a drab 1-0 defeat away to Porto in the UEFA Champions League after Galeno's stoppage-time winner
  • His neatly taken goal capped a night when Bukayo Saka struggled to live up to "world class" billing and William Saliba looked fatigued.
ByJames Dudko|
FC Porto v Arsenal FC: Round of 16 First Leg - UEFA Champions League 2023/24
FC Porto v Arsenal FC: Round of 16 First Leg - UEFA Champions League 2023/24 | David Ramos/GettyImages
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3. William Saliba looks fatigued

William Saliba, Francisco Evanilson de Lima
William Saliba was off the pace | Quality Sport Images/GettyImages

Playing every minute of every Premier League game is starting to show on Saliba. There were even a few warning signs of his fatigue during the otherwise stylish 5-0 beatdown of Burnley.

Saliba appeared similarly off the pace against Porto. He was static when the hosts swept forward in a rapid counter attack Galeno inexplicably wasted with a pair of shocking misses in front of goal.

Arsenal had a fortuitous escape, but this was far from the only time Saliba was caught out by Porto's pace on the break. He appeared unprepared for the powerful running of Galeno and lone striker Evanilson.

Saliba isn't going to become a liability overnight, but he is a player in need of whatever breather Mikel Arteta can provide him.

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