25 October 2023 , 07:59
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David Raya's latest hairy moment in an Arsenal shirt had TNT Sports pundits Michael Owen and Martin Keown chuckling as the pressure intensified on the Spanish keeper.
Mikel Arteta's ruthless decision to sign his compatriot and install him as the club's No. 1 immediately raised eyebrows, given the form of Aaron Ramsdale last season. And after Raya allowed Mykhailo Mudryk's cross to sail over his head and into the net during the draw at Chelsea on Saturday, he needed an accomplished display in Sevilla on Tuesday.
All seemed to be going well after Gabriel Jesus finished superbly to put the visitors 2-0 up in the second half. The Brazilian striker had earlier teed up Gabriel Martinelli as Arsenal looked certain to bounce back from their defeat at Lens last time out.
But Nemanja Gudelj’s header set up a tense finale, and Arteta's men were forced to defend deep for the closing minutes. Right at the death, Raya had hearts in mouths when he attempted to punch a cross clear.
However, the Brentford loanee got it horribly wrong, and the ball bounced off his fist before landing on the roof of his net, clearing the crossbar by centimetres. And watching the replay afterwards in the TNT Sports studio, neither Owen nor Keown could resist an ironic laugh.
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But turning serious, Owen then warned: "All eyes are on Raya at the moment. If you’re keeping clean sheets all the time no one says anything. But because of what’s happened in the past, every single thing he does we end up scrutinising and saying 'Would Ramsdale have done that?' and, “Should they be playing out in that situation?'"
David Raya attempts to punch the ball (PA)HAVE YOUR SAY! Does David Raya deserve to start over Aaron Ramsdale? Comment below.
The former England striker also noted that the late error was not the only time Raya looked shaky on the night: "He came for a cross, he went to punch it, he miscued it a little bit and it nearly spun into his own goal," he said. "He had a couple of little mistakes in the first half as well trying to play out."
Owen however, did also argue that scrutinising Raya was "nit-picking" amid a great result for the Premier League side, who now top Group B. "I think they’d have been happy coming away not getting beat tonight, but to get the three points puts them in a really strong position now," added the pundit.
Ramsdale is likely to return to the team on Wednesday in the EFL Cup, with Arsenal heading to West Ham in their last-16 tie. Fans have called for the 25-year-old to return to the side after he merited a place in the PFA Team of the Season in 2022/23.