David Raya's immediate response to incredible double save sums up Arsenal keeper

David Raya was the leader arsenic Arsenal opened up their latest Champions League run with a battling gully against Italian broadside Atalanta arsenic helium denied Mateo Retegui from the punishment spot

Arsenal prima David Raya admits helium was “lucky” to nutrient his treble wonderment prevention aft his Champions League heroics.

The Spaniard was named antheral of the lucifer successful the Gunners’ European opener against Italian broadside Atalanta. He did truthful aft producing 2 singular stops to contradict Mateo Retegui from the punishment spot successful the 0-0 draw.

The hosts were awarded a spot-kick aft Thomas Partey’s foul connected Brazilian midfielder Ederson. Raya parried Retegui’s archetypal effort but the shot fell to the guardant and helium looked definite to motion into the unguarded net.

But someway the erstwhile Brentford goalkeeper leapt crossed his enactment to paw distant Retegui’s goalbound header. TV pundit Robbie Savage hailed the halt arsenic “one of the champion saves” helium had ever seen.

Asked astir his match-saving heroics, Raya admitted that helium was somewhat fortunate. Speaking to TNT Sport, helium said: “It’s conscionable a punishment and I was fortunate to spell the close mode and prevention it.

“I was unlucky to get the rebound consecutive to him but I was conscionable speedy capable to get up and prevention the rebound. It’s fantastic to beryllium capable to support the cleanable expanse and assistance the squad to astatine slightest get a point.”

Ahead of Retegui’s penalty, Raya chose to locomotion implicit to the sideline portion a lengthy VAR cheque was going on. He was spotted heavy successful speech with Arsenal goalkeeping manager Iñaki Caña.

Revealing what was said successful that chat, helium revealed: “I took the determination to spell to the sideline due to the fact that it was a agelong hold and agelong hold to determine if it was a pen oregon not. So I conscionable went to talk with the goalie manager to person much consciousness of wherever to spell and wherever not to spell and what to bash and what not to do.

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“He helped maine a batch successful each aspect. Credit to him, helium does each the enactment for everything and it’s large to person the prevention with him.”

He added: “I deliberation everyone [has helped his form], of people the players and the unit and the fans, the content that they person successful me. And Inaki, he’s conscionable truthful assured successful me. I conscionable person to present for the club, fans and for everybody. I’m successful a bully mode now, I’ve got things to amended arsenic ever but I’m successful a bully spot close now.”

Raya present has 4 cleanable sheets from 5 games successful each competitions for Arsenal this season. He volition beryllium aiming to widen that awesome grounds successful the weekend’s clash with Manchester City astatine the Etihad Stadium.

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