Ally McCoist suggests Arsenal now have two players who are more important than Bukayo Saka

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With the title race in mind, Ally McCoist has now been discussing two Arsenal players who may now be more important than Bukayo Saka.

Saka, who has been in the headlines a lot following Rio Ferdinand’s recent comments saying he was not world class just yet, has been in scintillating form for Mikel Arteta.

The England international now has 13 goals in 25 league games this season, meaning he’s nearly eclipsed last season’s impressive 14 goals with a fair few games to spare.

Saka is going at a remarkable rate, and he’ll be absolutely key to any success or silverware Arsenal achieve this season.

That being said, when speaking on talkSPORT this morning, Ally McCoist thought Arsenal may actually have two squad members who have quietly become more crucial than Saka.

McCoist was speaking with Jeff Stelling and agreed that Arteta’s attackers are important, but then seemed to remind listeners of what happened to Arsenal’s title hopes last season.

Going strong with just a handful of games to go, William Saliba’s injury derailed any hopes of beating City to the league title.

Ally McCoist says Arsenal’s centre-backs could prove more important than Bukayo Saka

McCoist insisted that Arsenal simply couldn’t afford to lose either Saliba or Gabriel Magalhaes to injury.

He said: “It’s a funny one, I hear what you’re saying about Odegaard and Saka and boys like that.

“I actually think with Arsenal, you don’t want to lose one of the centre-backs again.”

Of course, there’s definitely merit to McCoist’s words, even if Saka probably does remain Arsenal’s most crucial player.

But losing either Saliba or Gabriel would be incredibly destabilising for Arsenal right now.

And perhaps that is still a position that Mikel Arteta will need to strengthen in the summer.

Jakub Kiwior is perhaps adequate cover for Gabriel on the left, but Saliba doesn’t have similar cover himself.

Ben White could definitely fulfil that role, but his importance at right-back can’t be understated either.

All that being said, one ‘electric’ player that Arsenal decided to sell last summer scored a quite brilliant goal yesterday.