Arsenal star hailed as ‘best in the world’ after Arteta’s side draw at Manchester City

Joe Williams
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya
David Raya is mobbed by team-mates during the draw against Man City.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has been hailed as the ‘best in the world’ after the Gunners drew 2-2 with Manchester City on Sunday.

The Citizens scored a stoppage-time equaliser to deny Mikel Arteta’s side a famous win at the Etihad Stadium with Arsenal playing the whole second half with ten men.

Erling Haaland scored just nine minutes into the crucial clash between the two title rivals before Riccardo Calafiori’s incredible long-range strike brought Arsenal back onto level terms on 22 minutes.

Gabriel Magalhaes, who scored his first goal of the season against Tottenham last weekend, notched another from close range on Sunday in the first minute of injury time at the end of the first half.

But there was time for more drama at the end of the first half when Leandro Trossard was sent off in the eighth minute of injury time.

Arsenal managed to hang on for all of the second half until the eighth minute of stoppage time at the end of the second half with John Stones bundling in a late equaliser.

The Arsenal defence was on form to keep Man City at bay for so long, while Raya produced a number of impressive saves to keep the Gunners in the lead before Stones’ last-gasp equaliser.

And former Tottenham defender Gary Stevens reckons there is no better goalkeeper in world football than Raya, who was signed from Brentford in the summer for £27m.

Stevens told Stadium Astro: “He’s certainly a keeper in form, in great form. He’s right up there.

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“He’s dominant when he comes to crosses and he’s a great shot-stopper. He joined the club on loan and there was that debate over who would start.

“Mikel Arteta stuck with Raya and he’s now a permanent signing and Arsenal have got this one right, 100%.”

When asked whether Raya was the best goalkeeper in the world on current form, Stevens replied: “Yeah, he’s right up there.

“Now I would definitely say there’s not a better goalkeeper out there than him.”

And former Manchester United player Lee Sharpe agrees with Stevens, he added: “Today he [Raya] showed command of his penalty box and that takes so much stress out of defending when the goalkeeper comes and claims the ball.

“He was different class. I would say so [he’s the best in the world]. Obviously Ederson’s at the other end and he didn’t have a thing to do so it’s hard to judge. But Raya is in such a rich vein of form at the moment.”