Jamie Carragher questioned Arsenal defender William Saliba's leadership skills, suggesting that the French International "looks like the same player" without the injury Gabriel Magalhaes.

Saliba and Gabriel have built an impressive partnership at the heart of Gunners Defence, a key factor in Mikel Arteta's revival in recent seasons.

However, since Arsenal's starting lineup, Gabriel has been out of the rest since being left out in the remaining match in his team's 2-1 win over Fulham on April 1, Saliba hasn't fully maintained her solid self since then.

French International made expensive mistakes between Real Madrid and Crystal Palace, while Carragher criticized his role in Cody Gakpo's opener in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.

Carragher believes Gabriel's absence shows that Saliba's side of the game and he needs improvement.

"I think he is one of the highest central defenders in European football," Carragher said. Super Sunday in the sky.

“As a partnership, he and Gabriel are as good as anything in the Premier League.

“I think Saliba is a better player, but Gabriel is a better leader and if he wants to get to the level we talked about with Virgil Van Dijk, it needs to be brought into his game.

“Saliba needs Gabriel. Since Gabriel stands out from the team, it’s not the same as the Saliba I’m watching.

“The number of mistakes he’s made over the past few months, and every time I look at him, he’s making a big mistake.”

“Saliba needs to be a leader to take the next step”

Carragher added that despite all the attributes Saliba has, he thinks he needs to add leadership to the game in order to start comparing with Tony Adams for Arsenal and Liverpool's Tony Adams and Van Dijk.

He added: "Saliba is no longer a kid, but he is not at his peak. As a centre-back, when you know that the guy next to you is the leader, when he leaves, you have to be the leader and organize the back four, not just playing your own game.

"For me, great central defender, it's with your performance and everything can be done.

“Think of great centre-backs – Tony Adams, Virgil Van Dijk. They are not just great players, they make the others around them look like great players.

"I think it's still something Saliba lacks. Without Gabriel, he doesn't look the same player, it's not something you want to be labeled as.

“If I were Liverpool’s centre-back, I would be embarrassed and people said, ‘Not the one next to him, he is not the same player’.

“We said a lot about other Liverpool centre-backs without Van Dijk, but he rarely went out and he made him look like a top player with him.

“If we are totally honest, then many of the Liverpool centre-backs over the past three to four years, I think Liverpool supporters think they are much better than they actually are because of who they play with.

“I’m still waiting to see the next step of Saliba becoming great.

“He’s the top player. He has everything you want.

“But to take the next step, to be with Van Dijk of Adams and Liverpool shirts, you have to take the next step, and that’s becoming a leader.”