Arsenal star could have won club the title against Brighton, says Paul Merson | Football

Paul Merson says Arsenal fans may have David Raya to thank should they go on and win the title after the goalkeeper’s stunning save to deny Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh on Saturday.

An own goal from Georginio Rutter proved decisive as top-of-the-table Arsenal came through a tough test to earn a 2-1 victory over the Seagulls at the Emirates.

Rutter’s misplaced defensive header appeared to set the Gunners on course for a comfortable win after Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard had earlier opened the scoring with his first goal of the Premier League season.

However, Diego Gomez’s 63rd-minute strike made for a nervy finish in north London and the hosts were forced to rely on an incredible stop from Raya to preserve their slender advantage.

Minteh could be forgiven for thinking he had levelled after firing a curling effort into the top corner of Raya’s goal after an exquisite flicked pass from Rutter.

But Raya was alert to the danger to dampen Brighton’s hopes of a remarkable comeback, diving acrobatically to his right to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

Several Arsenal players were seen going straight to Raya to thank the shot-stopper in the immediate aftermath, and 20 minutes later, when referee John Brooks blew his whistle to signal full-time.

‘Arsenal played well at times. They came out the traps very well. They should have been 2-0 or 3-0 up,’ ex-Arsenal and England star Merson said on Sky Sports.

‘Gabriel Jesus came on and calmed it down. Viktor Gyokeres is fighting the ball and everything is a fight. Jesus has calmness and holds the ball up. Gyokeres is trying too hard.

‘If Arsenal go on and win the title, we will have to go back to the Raya save.

‘It was off the charts. Nine times out of ten, that’s a goal. 

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‘That’s massive for me. A massive, massive save.’

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta singled out Raya for special praise after his fellow countryman’s outstanding stop to deny Minteh in the second half.

‘It was sensational. I had a great angle on it,’ Arteta told BBC Sport.

‘That’s what we need from players, we need those performances in the key moments.’

Alan Shearer, meanwhile, the Premier League’s all-time top scorer, hailed Raya’s moment of brilliance as potentially the save of the Premier League season.

‘We are about to see one of, if not the save of the season. This is an unbelievable save,’ the ex-England and Newcastle striker said on Match of the Day.

‘Brighton work it so well, those two down that right-hand side again, a little give and go, in behind and wow – that’s all you can say.

‘You can see Fabian Hurzeler’s reaction on the touchline, it’s an unbelievable save that is, it really is magnificent.

‘So what could have been an easy afternoon if Arsenal had kept it up, turned into a really difficult afternoon, but they got the three points, which is the most important thing.’

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