Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya is seen limping past reporters in the mixed zone following the Gunners’ 2-2 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was seen limping past reporters in the mixed zone following the Gunners’ 2-2 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League.
The 29-year-old was once again one of the stars of Arsenal’s show at the Etihad, despite being powerless to prevent Erling Haaland from scoring his 100th goal for the Premier League champions early doors.
Raya subsequently witnessed Riccardo Calafiori‘s stunner and Gabriel Magalhaes‘s header turn the tide in his team’s favour, and he was central to the visitors’ steadfast defensive effort in the second half.
The former Brentford man came up with several key saves before his resistance was finally broken by John Stones in the eighth minute of injury time, as 10-man Arsenal were excruciatingly denied their first win at the Etihad since January 2015.
Prior to Stones’s dramatic leveller – City’s latest Premier League equaliser on record – Raya was one of a few Arsenal players to go down at various times in the second half, tactics which infuriated the home side as Mikel Arteta‘s men did their utmost to hold onto their slender lead.
Raya seen limping in mixed zone after City draw
Manchester City and Arsenal players leave Etihad Stadium after a 2-2 draw 👋 pic.twitter.com/TFAl2FyrIH
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) September 22, 2024
The Spain international was able to see out the game, but following the four-goal stalemate, he was seen gingerly walking past the media in the mixed zone as he left the stadium.
Raya sported a bandage on his right knee and politely declined interview requests as he trudged past reporters, handing Arteta another untimely concern during a hectic period.
The Arsenal boss was already without Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney for the clash with Pep Guardiola‘s side, and Raya was one of a handful of players to suffer fresh blows in Manchester.
Goalscorer Calafiori – who netted a sensational equaliser on his maiden Premier League start – had to call it quits in the second half with his own concern, while Jurrien Timber appeared to be cramping up towards the end as well.
As well as Raya, Calafiori and Timber’s concerns, Arsenal lost Leandro Trossard to two bookable offences – the second for kicking the ball away – meaning that the Belgian is banned for this week’s EFL Cup third-round clash with Bolton Wanderers.
Could Raya be replaced by a teenager against Bolton?
© Imago
Arteta did not mention a specific injury for Raya in his post-game press conference, which suggests that the Spaniard’s problem will not be serious enough to keep him out of this weekend’s Premier League clash with Leicester City.
However, Arsenal only have until Wednesday to recover for their showdown with Bolton, where Raya would have likely been rested anyway, but his backup Neto cannot feature on account of playing for Bournemouth in their loss to West Ham United.
With Raya potentially sidelined and Neto cup-tied, summer signing Tommy Setford would be the next on the list, but the summer signing from Ajax has not been involved in any recent first team or youth squads, hinting at a possible injury issue.
Instead, 2008-born Jack Porter was called up to the matchday squad for Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Atalanta BC, and the 16-year-old could therefore come into contention for an unexpected debut against Bolton in the cup.
Alternatively, Arteta could take his pick of three 18-year-olds in Alexei Rojas, Lucas Nygaard or Brian Okonkwo, the latter of whom is the younger brother of former Arsenal academy product and current Wrexham number one Arthur Okonkwo.
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