Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has defended goalkeeper David Raya from recent criticism, though admitted there is an increased pressure that comes with playing for a major club.
Raya joined the Gunners on an initial £3m loan deal from Brentford during the summer transfer window, with a £27m option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.
After initially serving as understudy to Aaron Ramsdale, Raya was drafted into the Arsenal starting lineup for the first time in their 1-0 win at Everton in September and has started every Premier League and Champions League game since.
However, the Spain international has come in for criticism since being promoted from the bench and was notably poor in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Saturday, cheaply giving the ball away from the back and being lobbed by a cross from Mykhailo Mudryk. Travelling fans chanted the name of Ramsdale during the second half with the Gunners two goals down.
During a press conference ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League group stage clash with Sevilla on Tuesday, Arteta was asked if he thought Raya was suffering under such intense scrutiny.
“I haven’t seen that. If I am fair, I haven’t seen that at all,” Arteta replied.
“That’s the pressure of playing in big clubs where you have to win and you have to be at your best, and you have someone next to you who is pushing you every single day.
“If we go player, by player, position by position, you will tell me what’s happening at left-back, what happens with the holding-midfielder.
“You asked Jorginho a question already and Gabriel Jesus is here, there’s another question on that. That’s the debate.
“That’s the beauty of the game as well. The fact that you have other options as well is going to make those talks more frequent.”
Arteta previously suggested that he does not have a firm number one goalkeeper and he could even swap between Raya and Ramsdale mid-match, but ultimately he won’t just drop either for making a mistake.
“It depends where that is coming from,” he continued. Someone from football, when errors are part of football and mistakes happen, from defenders, from strikers and from goalkeepers for sure. For sure not [realistic to expect a change every time].”
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