Arteta Lauds Raya's Vital Stops in Arsenal's Tense Victory Over Chelsea
Mikel Arteta declared that David Raya's heroic performance brought his heart 'back to life' as Arsenal secured a crucial 2-1 win against Chelsea, moving five points clear at the Premier League summit. The Gunners' manager praised his goalkeeper's exceptional focus and match-deciding ability in a nervy finale at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal Edge Chelsea in Set-Piece Showdown
William Saliba opened the scoring with a powerful header, only for Piero Hincapie's unfortunate own goal to level the match before halftime. Jurrien Timber restored Arsenal's advantage in the 66th minute, converting from Declan Rice's precise corner delivery. Both Arsenal goals originated from set-pieces, highlighting their continued prowess in this area.
Arteta emphasized: 'He is a keeper that knows how to maintain his focus and decide a football match when you need it. Sometimes he doesn't participate at all, and then in one action, you have to be there, and that's very, very difficult to do.'
Raya's Injury-Time Heroics Seal the Points
The victory was not secured without late drama, as Raya produced a series of vital saves during Chelsea's frantic push for an equalizer. His most remarkable intervention came in injury time, acrobatically denying Alejandro Garnacho's dangerous cross from finding the net.
'I got the right angle and my heart almost stopped,' Arteta recounted. 'But David's hand was there to bring it back to life. The save that he made in the last action... it's a cross, not a shot, but he ended up with an unbelievable save.'
Chelsea's Disciplinary Woes and Arsenal's Set-Piece Record
Chelsea's challenge was further complicated when Pedro Neto received a second yellow card for a foul on Gabriel Martinelli, reducing them to ten men earlier in the contest. Arsenal's two goals from corners took their seasonal tally to 16, equaling the Premier League record for most set-piece goals in a single campaign.
This milestone matches achievements by Oldham in 1992-93, West Brom in 2016-17, and Arsenal themselves in the 2023-24 season. Reflecting on their set-piece effectiveness, Arteta noted: 'We haven't scored set-pieces for a few weeks now, but we scored so many in open play. Today was an option to score from this kind of situation. We've done it so well, and we conceded from a set-piece as well.'
The result solidifies Arsenal's position at the top of the table, demonstrating both their attacking variety from open play and dead-ball situations, coupled with resilient defensive performances led by standout individuals like David Raya.
