Evening Standard
·23 September 2024
Evening Standard
·23 September 2024
Any injury to Raya would leave Mikel Arteta with big Carabao Cup decision
David Raya was filmed limping and with his knee bandaged as he left the Etihad Stadium with the Arsenal players.
The goalkeeper has been in sensational form this season and starred again on Sunday, even though he conceded twice in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City.
Raya made nine saves, eight of those coming in the second-half after Arsenal had been reduced to ten men, and played his part in attempting to run down the clock, calling for treatment at one stage and enabling his team-mates to receive instructions from Mikel Arteta on the touchline.
However, Raya could not prevent John Stones equalising in the 98th minute, and the Spaniard was then seen limping through the mixed zone after the match, with his right knee appearing to be the problem.
It remains to be seen whether Raya has picked up an injury, which would leave Arteta with a dilemma ahead of Arsenal getting their Carabao Cup campaign underway in midweek.
The Gunners host League One side Bolton on Wednesday night in the third round, but Neto, who joined the Gunners on loan in the summer, is not eligible after featuring for Bournemouth earlier in the competition.
Tommy Setford, himself a summer signing, was not named on the bench against Atalanta, with 16-year-old Jack Porter instead making the squad in the Champions League.
The two teenage goalkeepers would be in contention to start against Bolton should Raya not feature, though Arsenal will hope to have the Spain available.
Raya has arguably been Arsenal’s best player this season, producing a string of sensational saves to keep four clean sheets in the first six matches of the campaign.