Arsenal have started the season in perfect fashion by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium – but David Raya had a major part to play.
The Gunners saw Liverpool open their season with a 2-0 victory at Ipswich Town and were looking to get off to a great start too.
Jamie Carragher predicted a 2-0 Arsenal win, believing that Arsenal would go 2-0 up and then see the game out.
That is exactly what happened as Bukayo Saka was given far, far too much space to whip a cross and pick out Kai Havertz to score.
The same combination struck again but it was Saka who scored this time, smashing into the net from a Havertz pass.
Arsenal were able to see the game out and keep yet another clean sheet under Mikel Arteta, starting the season with three points.
David Raya praised
Most of the praise will go towards Saka and Havertz after their impact in the final third.
However, Arsenal also had goalkeeper David Raya to thank for one huge moment.
With the scoreline at 1-0, Wolves sent an outstanding cross into the box with new striker Jorgen Strand Larsen flying in to seemingly head the ball home.
Stopper Raya was going the wrong way but managed to rapidly shift his weight and pull off a stunning save.
The Spaniard made a number of other saves to preserve his clean sheet but that save from Strand Larsen was easily the pick of the bunch.
Arsenal fans gave Raya a standing ovation after that save and Wolves boss Gary O’Neil was similarly impressed.
Speaking on the official Wolves website, O’Neil hailed Raya for a simply ‘unbelievable’ save to deny Strand Larsen.
O’Neil added that the Norwegian was ‘unlucky’ not to score and reiterated that Raya’s save was ‘unbelievable’.
“I thought we were good. I thought we were in the game at all times, carried a threat and needed a little bit more quality,” said O’Neil. “Raya makes an unbelievable save from the header at 1-0.”
“Jorgen, obviously, unbelievably unlucky not to get his first goal. His movement’s fantastic and it’s a great header, and just an unbelievable save from David Raya,” he added.
This is the kind of thing which earns a goalkeeper a Golden Glove come the end of the season, just as Raya did last season.
Raya ready to shine again
Arsenal have turned Raya’s loan move permanent after seeing him impress last season.
The Spaniard has now left Brentford for good and is ready to show that he can build on an impressive opening campaign.
Raya may have been called ‘strange’ by pundit Jermaine Jenas but Arsenal fans absolutely love him.
Not only is Raya impressive on the ball but he is also a fine shot-stopper – as he showed against Wolves.
Arsenal were the Premier League’s best side in defensive terms last season and Raya is ready to repeat the trick this year with sensational saves.
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