Pape Sarr vs Saliba: How did the clash between their former French clubs end?

By Alessandro Schiavone in Metz

Metz 2-1 Nice

Goals: Ali-Cho 35' (N), Hein 53' & Diallo 84' (M)

Having had their Sundays off after featuring in respective 2-2 draws a day beforehand, Tottenham Hotspur's Pape Matar Sarr and Arsenal's William Saliba may have taken in a Ligue 1 cracker on television.

And it was Pape Sarr's former team Metz who continued their fine resurgence after coming from behind to see off Nice 2-1 to make it three impressive wins on the spin.

Nice, where Saliba spent the second part of the 2020/2021 season on loan from the Gunners, took the lead through a Mohamed-Ali Cho curler.

But the sharp edges softened a bit for Metz after the restart as fatigue set in for the visitors who had contested (and lost) an Europa League fixture with Bundesliga side Freiburg 72 hours beforehand.

Hence Metz, who had only taken two points from their opening nine games, now have nine more and go into the international break clear of the relegation zone.

A Gauthier Hein penalty and clinical finish by Habib Diallo turned the game on its head.

Les messins have turned a corner and won all of their three games since Fulham flop Ballo-Touré has been sidelined with an injury.

And five of their last goals came after the 80th minute.

Both men in question won't want to be reminded though about the pain of conceding late on having been on the receiving end themselves of seeing wins turns being turned into draws by De Ligt (Tottenham) and Brobbey (Arsenal).