No Saliba, No Problem: How Ezri Konsa Is Powering Arsenal's Title Defence

Arsenal keep the Premier League's meanest defence without William Saliba - thanks to Ezri Konsa

Arsenal confirmed in July that William Saliba would miss an "extended period" with a long-term back issue, but eight games into the new season Mikel Arteta's side have conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League and sit level on points at the summit. Step forward £55m summer signing Ezri Konsa.

Competition: Premier League 2026-27
The situation: William Saliba has not featured all season due to a long-term back issue
The headline deal: Arsenal signed Ezri Konsa for £55m from Aston Villa in August
The result: Arsenal have the fewest goals conceded in the league and five clean sheets in eight games
Latest: Konsa scored his first Arsenal goal in the win over Everton

Deal details

Arsenal signed Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa for £55m in August, the source reports. The move raised eyebrows at the time: questions were asked about whether the fee was too high, whether the Gunners needed him with Cristhian Mosquera already in the squad, and why the club signed a centre-back rather than a forward.

The article states that Arsenal have shifted their recruitment strategy, targeting signings in the peak of their careers as they look to capitalise on their title-winning window and keep lifting silverware. Konsa, in his prime, fits that profile. He made 286 appearances for Villa after joining from Brentford in July 2019 and helped them win the Europa League in May, the club's first European trophy since 1982.

Injury and availability

William Saliba is out with a long-term back issue and still has no date for a return, though he is currently doing individual training work on grass. Cristhian Mosquera picked up an injury in Arsenal's second match of the season, with Konsa coming on for his debut in that game against his former club Villa.

Konsa joined just hours before Arsenal's season-opener against Coventry and has started six of the eight league matches. Mosquera's return will give Arteta a further option once fit, with the manager insisting the Spaniard has something "special" about him.

What was said

"He's gone to a huge club like Arsenal with no pre-season when Saliba is here, with other players that are already here.
— Mikel Arteta on Konsa's start to life at Arsenal

"To position yourself in that manner, with that naturality I would say, and performing at the level that he's doing and building already a chemistry and a balance with Gabi that seems so solid, it's very difficult to do and we are really lucky to have him."
— Mikel Arteta praising Konsa's partnership with Gabriel

"The two of them [Saliba and Gabriel] were on the Ballon D'or list as the best defenders in world football. He has not been overshadowed at all by the people he has played alongside."
— Martin Keown on Match of the Day

"I've come to this stadium for many seasons, I know how tough it is to play against us. It's not surprising to me. We are champions and to be champions you've got to win games consistently. This is our home and we want to win as many games here as possible."
— Ezri Konsa on Arsenal's strong start

"William is not fit and we are desperate to have him back because we know what he offers. We are really lucky to have that and I'm sure when Mosquera plays that he will be the same because they have something special those boys."
— Mikel Arteta on Saliba's absence

Arteta's words point to a manager who has genuine depth in central defence and knows it. Keown's comparison is the most striking: rising to the standard of two Ballon d'Or-listed defenders is no small feat, and the former Arsenal man made clear Konsa has not been dwarfed by his illustrious defensive colleagues.

Konsa himself spoke like a player who has bought into the club's winning mentality. His comments after the Everton game reflected the mentality Arteta has tried to build at the Emirates: consistency at home is non-negotiable for a side defending a title.

The numbers

Clean sheets: Arsenal have kept five in eight league games this season, no team has more.
Pass completion: Konsa had the best pass-completion rate of any player in the Premier League last season and tops the chart again this term at 96% from his 324 passes.
Ground duels: Konsa ranked top for success rate among all Premier League outfielders to contest 20 or more ground duels last campaign, and is 12th in 2026-27.
Partnership record: Nine starts together, seven wins, five clean sheets, two goals between Konsa and Gabriel.
At Villa: 286 appearances after joining from Brentford in July 2019, plus a Europa League winner's medal in May.

Morgan Rogers, Konsa's former Aston Villa team-mate who joined Chelsea for £117m this summer, said at the World Cup that Konsa does not get the credit he deserves and is "one of the best centre-backs in football". Those comments now look prescient rather than generous.

Why Konsa has made Arsenal forget about Saliba

Ezri Konsa is an imposing figure, quick across the ground and aggressive in the challenge - exactly the profile needed to play the right-sided centre-back role with minimal preparation. He arrived without a pre-season, hours before the Coventry opener, and has since built the kind of understanding with Gabriel Magalhaes that usually takes a full campaign to forge.

The partnership's record is remarkable: nine starts, seven wins, five clean sheets and two goals shared between them. When both scored in the win over Everton, it was the first time Arsenal had two centre-backs score in a Premier League match since February 2024, a game against a David Moyes team that also featured Gabriel and Saliba, against West Ham. Konsa has also started all three of Arsenal's Champions League games alongside Gabriel, with the Gunners unbeaten in Europe.

What makes the situation especially awkward for Arteta, in a good way, is that Konsa can also play right-back. When Saliba eventually returns, the England international will not be limited to one route into the starting XI. That versatility gives the manager tactical flexibility rather than a selection headache - a luxury Arsenal lacked when they were forced to rely on a fully fit Saliba every week.

Talking points

Is Konsa and Gabriel now the best centre-back partnership in world football, as the debate in the source suggests - or are they merely benefiting from Arsenal's overall dominance?
Was £55m for a 29-year-old centre-back smart business or an overpay for a squad that already had seven senior defenders and Mosquera in reserve?
When Saliba returns, should Konsa keep his place at centre-back or shift to right-back to accommodate the Frenchman?
Why did Konsa not get more credit during his Aston Villa years, and does his England form at the World Cup suggest he was underrated all along?

What happens next

Saliba has no date for a return but is doing individual work on grass, so Konsa and Gabriel will continue as the first-choice pairing in the immediate term. The next test is whether Arsenal can maintain the league's tightest defence while waiting on their French centre-back, with Mosquera also closing in on fitness. Arteta's selection decisions once all three are available will define Arsenal's title run-in.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ezri Konsa replacing William Saliba in the Arsenal starting XI?

Yes. With Saliba out for an extended period with a long-term back issue, Konsa has started six of Arsenal's eight league games and all three of their Champions League matches alongside Gabriel.