2 ex-Arsenal defenders agree about Ezri Konsa

Former Arsenal defenders Steph Houghton and Martin Keown have praised Ezri Konsa's start with the club and his new partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes.

Arsenal kept their eighth clean sheet of the season on Saturday, and a big reason for the team's defensive success so far has been the addition of summer signing Ezri Konsa .

The Gunners were obviously in a tricky situation going into the new campaign, knowing that William Saliba wouldn't be available before November, if not even later.

Saliba has been widely touted as one of the world's best centre-backs for a few years now, so adequately replacing him seemed almost impossible. But Konsa has really stepped up to the task.

Speaking on Match of the Day on Saturday night, former Arsenal and Manchester City defender Steph Houghton suggested Konsa's new partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes is proving to be one of the best around.

"In terms of Premier League experience, international experience, coming off the back of a really good World Cup, I think you can see that he is full of confidence," Houghton said .

"When you've got an opportunity, when Saliba's injured, he's really, really taken that. I think in terms of that partnership that he's building with Gabriel, it's really hard to look any further than those two in the Premier League at this moment in time."

Martin Keown agreed, emphasising just how high the expectations are at Arsenal at the moment.

"Two of them (Gabriel and Saliba) were on the Ballon d'Or list of the best defenders in world football," Keown added. "So, you know, you're putting it on the line, and he's come in and he's not been overshadowed at all by the people he's played alongside."

There will be another big test next week, as Konsa travels with Arsenal away to Anfield. Keeping a clean sheet away to Liverpool is arguably the Gunners' biggest Premier League test yet.