Mikel Arteta stunned by Arsenal crowd response to William Saliba own goal
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says he was taken aback by the positive crowd response to William Saliba’s own goal.
The Gunners were in cruise control at 2-0 when the Frenchman headed past Aaron Ramsdale and into his own net to pull a goal back for Leicester.
Arteta's men ran out eventual 4-2 winners, and the Arsenal boss says the supporters' reaction to the defender's blunder left him stunned.
"What the fans did with Saliba after the own goal is something I’ve never seen anything like that in my career," said Arteta. "I think it lifted Willy’s confidence. I'm more happy today [with Saliba] than I was last week with Crystal Palace because of how he reacted to the own goal."
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Summer signing Gabriel Jesus bagged a brace and a pair of assists to continue his fine start to life in north London. And Arteta admits Arsenal are very fortunate to have the forward as he praised the Brazilian's goalscoring instinct.
"It’s what he brings to the team, it’s that energy, that passion, that threat, you have the feeling that something is going to happen," added the Gunners boss. "I’m delighted to have him."
"I expect what I know of him, and what we all expect from him is that he has the same level of work rate and enthusiasm that he brings to the team and then he’s going to put the ball in the net because it’s in his nature."