David Raya played a crucial role in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United, making a series of key saves to secure a point. Despite his heroics, the Spanish goalkeeper downplayed his performance, surprising Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel.
Raya was initially criticized for his positioning on Bruno Fernandes’ opening goal but redeemed himself with a stunning injury-time double save to deny the United captain. He also produced crucial stops against Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee to keep Arsenal in the game.
After the match, Raya evaluated his performance, saying, “Defensively, yes, but attacking, I could’ve done better.” Schmeichel was stunned by this response, insisting, “You saved your team a point with three unbelievable saves.”
Raya admitted disappointment in his distribution, particularly in the second half. “My standards are higher. I made a few risky passes, including one that put Saliba in trouble. United press aggressively, but I know I can be better,” he said.
Declan Rice acknowledged the goalkeeper’s importance, admitting Arsenal owed their point to Raya’s heroics. Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta expressed frustration at dropping two points, all but conceding the Premier League title race to Liverpool.
Arteta lamented Arsenal’s inefficiency in front of goal, saying, “We dominated but lacked the finishing touch. When you don’t capitalize, overturning a result at Old Trafford becomes even harder.”
With the title slipping away, Arsenal now faces an uphill battle to stay in contention. As the season nears its climax, Raya’s high standards and performances could prove vital in their fight for a strong finish.