Last time out, the Gunners defeated North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a five-goal thriller to remain at the top of the Premier League standings.
Arteta’s side put up a spectacular first half performance, leading by three goals. Despite appearing to be on their way to win, Raya gave Spurs a lifeline by delivering the ball directly to Christian Romero who converted.
Tottenham Spurs capitalised on the momentum and added a second via a penalty kick, setting up a nail-biting finish. Despite being harshly criticised for his role in the two goals, David Raya, Arteta was quick to compliment the Spaniard’s response, stating that they are “lucky” to have the shotstopper’s services.
Raya relayed “I thought I was mentally very strong and I just forgot about the mistake, I just carried on playing my game and tried to help the team as much as possible. I think I showed that in the last 20 minutes” further adding “We had gained control until I made a mistake for the first goal. We had to bounce back and I thought the character from the team, everybody was willing to defend, and to even get one more goal to settle the game, but we couldn’t and we gave away a penalty.”
Raya has been a huge talking point since joining Arsenal from the Bees, having pushed England international Aaron Ramsdale to second in command.
Following Sunday’s error, this was the third instance that resulted in a goal, with only Nathan Collins and Wes Foderingham having worse records in this regard.
Although this hasn’t altered the thinking of the Arsenal number one, he insists he enjoys the pressure – “I like challenges and I don’t feel under pressure”.
Ultimately, Manchester City remains in charge of their own fate as they attempt to retain the Premier League title, but Raya emphasised that the focus remains on themselves rather than their title-chasing opponents – “We cannot focus on other teams, because if you do that you lose your focus on yourself and you don’t start playing the same way.”
“You have to focus on yourself and the team, on what you can control. If you focus on things that you cannot control, things are not going to go well.”
“It is a massive confidence boost [beating Spurs], especially the games that we won away from home. That shows the character of the team.”
Arteta’s men will next play Manchester United at Old Trafford, as they try to keep the pressure on Guardiola’s side, who are still a point and a game behind.
The post Raya delivers verdict on title race following Spurs triumph: “You have to focus on yourself and the team, on what you can control” appeared first on AFTV.
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