William Saliba was at the heart of things as Marseille fell to a narrow defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in Le Classique, but the on-loan Arsenal defender was denied a dramatic equaliser by VAR.
The £27m man is expected to return to his parent club at the end of the season, despite having found opportunities at Arsenal hard to come by. Indeed, the French international refused to completely rule out extending his stay at Stade Velodrome, though the Gunners are believed to have their own plans for him.
Saliba has been a regular for L'OM this season as Jorge Sampaoli's side have made a push for Champions League qualification, and on a personal level his form has earned him international recognition. However, defeat in Paris means they still have work to do to stay in second.
Marseille had won five league games in a row before their trip to the Parc des Princes, while also making progress in the Europa Conference League. The domestic results left Sampaoli's men second even after their defeat, three points clear of nearest challengers Rennes, with the top two going directly into the Champions League group stage.
Duje Caleta-Car drew Marseille level in the capital after Neymar's opener on Sunday, only for Kylian Mbappe to restore the hosts' lead from the penalty spot. Saliba thought he had levelled things up when he volleyed home a Dimitri Payet free-kick, but a VAR check saw the defender ruled offside.
The game was fiercely contested, with seven yellow cards issued by referee Francois Letexier. Six of these went the way of the hosts, with Mbappe and Gianluigi Donnarumma both going into the book in the closing stages.
Will Saliba be at Arsenal next season? Have your say in the comments section
Sampaoli showed his frustration at times, but the manager was more measured after the defeat. "It's the game," he said, per Le Parisien, after VAR intervened both for the winner and the disallowed leveller.
"There are pulsations, emotions in the heat of the action… But everyone is doing their job. It's not up to me to judge his match but rather to those who appointed him."
The incidents on the pitch will have been noted by Arsenal fans keen to see Saliba back in London next season. The 21-year-old was on the bench for the Gunners in the 2020 Community Shield, but is still waiting for his first competitive minutes under Mikel Arteta.
"I do not hide that I am very happy in Marseille," Saliba had earlier told Le Parisien. "I have developed, I have passed a milestone. If I make it into France's squad it's thanks to Marseille, because there is a lot of visibility."
Marseille have already confirmed a permanent move for fellow Arsenal loanee Matteo Guendouzi, and have been turning up the pressure on the Gunners over the centre-back. Saliba is under contract in London until 2024, so the upcoming summer could be a pivotal one.
