Jamie Carragher now questions if Arsenal can win the Premier League title with David Raya in their goal and would be ‘a lot more confident’ if Aaron Ramsdale was playing.
Gunners coach Mikel Arteta once again entrusted Raya with starting as Arsenal visited Aston Villa this Saturday evening. The Spaniard elected to keep his trust in his compatriot for their clash in Birmingham, despite the 28-year-old producing another horror show at Luton Town.
Raya was at fault for two of the goals the Hatters scored as Arsenal claimed a 4-3 win on the road on Tuesday night. Declan Rice bailed the goalkeeper out with a 97th-minute winner at Kenilworth Road. But Arteta did not see enough of a reason to recall Ramsdale on Saturday.
Ramsdale has had to settle for a seat on the Emirates Stadium natives’ bench for 11 of their last 12 Premier League games. The 25-year-old only featured during that run at Brentford as Raya could not face his parent team. Raya has also started their five Champions League ties.
Yet Arteta saw Arsenal concede after only seven minutes at Aston Villa as John McGinn fired past Raya. The midfielder produced a clever swivel inside the area to escape Ben White. But McGinn still fired his powerful shot straight at Raya, who did not react until it was in the net.
Carragher reflected on the goalkeeper situation at Arsenal with Raya and Ramsdale later on in the first half at Aston Villa with the Gunners losing 1-0. The Liverpool hero is fast growing increasingly uncertain about the north Londoners’ aims of winning the Premier League, too.
“The one thing at the back of my mind is, ‘Can you win the league with the goalkeeper that they’ve got, Raya, or if Ramsdale comes in?’,” Carragher queried on Sky Sports Main Event (09/12, 18:01). “I’d certainly be a lot more confident if that man was in goal.”
Ramsdale was among the most important players behind Arsenal’s Premier League title bid last season. His efforts even secured the England international a place in the PFA’s Team of the Year. As well as keeping 14 clean sheets, his shot-stopping talents often rose to the fore.
Yet Arteta felt he could improve Arsenal’s goalkeeper situation by signing Raya on loan from Brentford with an option to buy. He even only waited three league games to drop Ramsdale for his compatriot. But Arteta’s blind faith in Raya could risk their Premier League title aims.