David Raya’s mistakes could cost Arsenal the Premier League title, says Chris Sutton on It’s All Kicking Off… but he does pledge to write a letter of apology if the Spaniard proves him wrong!
- Raya was responsible for two Luton goals as Arsenal recorded a dramatic 4-3 win
- Mikel Arteta refused to talk about the goalkeeping situation after the match
- It won't hurt Arsenal to have Arteta out of sight at Villa Park It all starts
Chris Sutton told Mail Sport It all starts show he fears David Raya's mistakes could cost Arsenal the Premier League title.
Mikel Arteta has retained his faith in the Spanish goalkeeper since replacing England international Aaron Ramsdale earlier in the season.
But Raya was responsible for two goals in Arsenal's 4-3 win over Luton Town on Tuesday evening. He allowed Elijah Adebayo to outrun him and score before seeing Ross Barkley's shot weave beneath him.
It took a final header from Declan Rice to save Arsenal from the mistakes.
Afterwards, Arteta appeared uncomfortable as he refused to discuss the goalkeeping situation.
David Raya was responsible for two of Luton's goals in Arsenal's dramatic win at Kenilworth Road
Raya is outpaced by Luton's Elijah Adebayo, who heads in their second goal
The keeper then allowed Ross Barkley's shot to curl under his body for Luton's third
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Sutton believes Arteta may not want to admit he made a mistake when it comes to his No. 1 goalkeeper.
'The one thing that can happen from Arteta's perspective, and this Raya-Ramsdale debate, is his stubbornness to continue with David Raya in the position they are in could cost them the title at the end of the season?' Sutton asked further It all starts.
'I just don't get it. I know what happened in the beginning. He hinted that there would be an even split of matches between both goalkeepers, but the other day I thought some big mistakes had been made.
'He can't keep making those mistakes if Arsenal want to win the Premier League.'
Mail Sport football editor Ian Ladyman suggested Arteta's confidence in Raya could improve over time.
He said: 'Raya has now had the best part of a third of the season to show that he is the right man, but he hasn't really shown that. So you'd think common sense would suggest Mikel Arteta take him out of the line of fire.
'But if I take you back to what we talked about on Monday about Tottenham and you said that the reason Tottenham play the way they play, apart from the fact that that is Postecoglou's credo, is that it is about a process.
'It's about the long term and you take the hits along the way to gradually arrive at how you want to play.
Mail Sport's Chris Sutton fears Raya could cost Arsenal the Premier League title
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was not keen on discussing Raya's shortcomings after the match
Aaron Ramsdale lost his place to Raya earlier this season and has not regained it so far
'Maybe Mikel Arteta looks at David Raya and thinks: 'I know there is a great goalkeeper there, I know he is the one for me. I see it every day in training, I have to keep going so he gets where he is.” I know he can be.”
“If I take it out now, I'll be back to square one.”
Sutton responded, “Is this too simplistic? A bit like my criticism of Andre Onana at Manchester United: people see David Raya as good with his feet, not so good with his hands. Is that fair? Is that correct?
'At Premier League level you have to be dominant in your box. Is he dominant when crosses come in? No.
“Stopping the shot, he's doing well, that one went under his body the other day and that happens.
'But in the context of a title race and Arsenal are doing well in this title race, that's a bad goal to concede. Declan Rice saved him.”
However, later in the podcast, Sutton did promise to write Raya an apology letter if he helped Arsenal win the league title.