21 September 2023 , 11:00
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David Raya is set to become Arsenal’s undisputed No1.
Raya insists it will be a first for any club to have “two top goalkeepers in the same team” and says he has a good relationship with Aaron Ramsdale. But Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has made a big statement by starting with Raya in the Premier League, Champions League and now the on-loan keeper is favourite to start the North London derby on Sunday.
That has left some Arsenal fans scratching their heads as to why because Ramsdale has been such a key part of Arteta’s revolution in the past couple of seasons. But Arteta views Raya as an upgrade on Ramsdale - and has relied heavily on stats to back up his argument.
Raya’s stats when it comes to passing and in the keeper equivalent of expected goals is +5.86 compared to Ramsdale’s of -3.04. The statistics compiled by StatsPerform show Raya has made less errors leading to goals, Ramsdale has conceded more goals - a total of 12 - with the first shot he has faced in a game while Raya has a higher save percentage.
Gunners boss Arteta has insisted publicly that the keepers will rotate and Raya insists that he gets on with Ramsdale but it will surely leave the England keepers worried for his international place ahead of the Euros next summer. Raya said: “I think it is the first time that two top goalkeepers are in the same team so that is just part of football now and the gaffer wants two top players for each position and that is what we have to work with.
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“I have played the last two games and now we see what happens on Sunday. I've just been selected the last two games, that is just the choice of the gaffer – that is his choice, not my choice and when Aaron comes in he will need to also fight for the team and to win games.
“Aaron has been great, he is a great team-mate, a leader as well. He is a great lad and a great keeper as well, we are team-mates and that is the main thing. We are team-mates at the end of the day.”
Raya says he has a good relationship with Ramsdale (Michael Regan/Getty Images)Raya was signed in the summer from Brentford on loan - albeit there is an option to make it a permanent transfer - in one of the most surprising deals of the summer. That is because Ramsdale has been such a big figure for Arsenal, he was in the Professional Footballers’ Association team of the year - voted by his fellow pros - and even started England’s last game in Scotland.
But Arteta has shown his ruthless streak and even Ramsdale has admitted that he has been surprised by how quickly he got his chance. Raya, who made his Champions League debut in the win over PSV Eindhoven, said: “It is a dream come true to play at the highest level so I'm very pleased to make my debut but the main thing was the result and we got the three points in the end, so that is the main thing.
“Settling in was very easy, I felt from the first day that I had been here a long time – the staff and the players, everybody just made it so easy for me to settle in.
"It is something every player has to do – to back yourself to get in the team and that is why I moved to Arsenal and try to do my best for the team when I'm selected.
“Of course you never know when you're going to play and that is the hardest thing to do. Making your debut for a club like Arsenal and obviously having Aaron as a team-mate makes it a bit harder for you but it came quick but you never know when it is going to be and you have to be ready.”