Overview
- Arsenal won 1-0 in Lisbon on Tuesday, as David Raya made several outstanding saves and earned Player of the Match in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.
- Arteta had used Kepa Arrizabalaga for the Carabao Cup final and the FA Cup tie at Southampton, where a Wembley error by Kepa and then an exit fueled doubts about the policy.
- Calls to keep Raya in goal for every game grew, with Darren Bent urging Arteta to drop Kepa and Piers Morgan labeling the earlier cup choice inexplicable.
- Teammate Kai Havertz praised Raya as the world’s best after the win, while Kenny Cunningham questioned his elite status and Shay Given defended his all-round game.
- Raya’s league-leading clean-sheet numbers this season are being cited as evidence he should be the automatic starter as Arsenal chase a league title and a Champions League semi-final.