October 24th 2023.
Michael Owen and Martin Keown have criticised David Raya's performance in Arsenal's win over Sevilla after the keeper nearly committed a massive clanger late in the match.
The Gunners managed to secure a valuable three points in Seville on Tuesday night, bouncing back from their defeat to Lens in the Champions League and reclaiming the top spot in Group B.
The first goal was scored by Gabriel Martinelli, who was set up by a brilliant turn from man-of-the-match Gabriel Jesus. Jesus then added the second with a wonderful curling effort into the top corner.
Nemanja Gudelj scored a header for Sevilla shortly after, and Arsenal were forced to defend for the remaining stages of the match.
However, it was Raya who nearly cost them the victory, as he attempted to punch a cross but got it horribly wrong. The ball looped off his fist and nearly spun into his own goal, but it ended up just inches above the crossbar and on the roof of the net.
Owen and Keown were critical of Raya's display, with Owen saying, "All eyes are on Raya at the moment. If you're keeping clean sheets all the time no one says anything. But because of what's happened in the past, every single thing he does we end up scrutinising and saying 'Ooh would Ramsdale have done that?'"
Keown then branded the goalkeeper situation a 'pantomime' during post-match punditry.
Despite the criticism, Owen was quick to point out that the result was a "cracking" one for Arsenal, and that they would have been happy to just avoid defeat.
The pressure is now on Raya to prove that he deserves his place in the team, as Arsenal continue to fight for Champions League qualification.
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