Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has secured the Premier League’s Golden Glove award after Luton scored against Everton’s Jordan Pickford on Friday. Raya’s achievement comes after keeping 14 clean sheets in 29 league matches this season, having joined Arsenal on loan from Brentford in the summer.
Before Friday’s match, Pickford was the only goalkeeper who could potentially surpass Raya in the Golden Glove standings. However, Pickford’s hopes were dashed when Luton’s Elijah Adebayo scored, ending Pickford’s chance to overtake Raya. With two fixtures remaining, Pickford trails Raya by two clean sheets and can only match the Spaniard’s tally at best.
Does Raya’s Award Vindicate Arteta?
David Raya’s success has sparked discussions about Mikel Arteta’s decision to bring him to Arsenal on loan, especially considering the presence of Aaron Ramsdale as the club’s established goalkeeper. When Raya joined Arsenal, there were doubts about his ability to displace Ramsdale, who had an impressive season previously, recording 14 clean sheets in 38 matches.
Despite a somewhat shaky start to the season, Raya’s performances, particularly highlighted by his crucial saves in Arsenal’s Champions League shootout victory against Porto, silenced critics and solidified his position as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper. Raya has been a consistent presence in the Arsenal lineup, missing only two league matches due to ineligibility against parent club Brentford. In those games, Ramsdale deputized and Arsenal secured victories.