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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Dom Smith

Arsenal: Aaron Ramsdale up for the fight with David Raya to be Gunners No1

Aaron Ramsdale showed he will be up for the fight for his first-choice spot at Arsenal if the Gunners sign David Raya.

Twice in a week Ramsdale has been a penalty hero, and his influence on yesterday's Community Shield at Wembley was a timely reminder to Mikel Arteta of what he can do.

Ramsdale saved Rodri's spot-kick to help Arsenal beat Manchester City 4-1 on penalties, after the match finished 1-1.

Last Wednesday, Ramsdale denied Takumi Minamino from the spot as Arsenal beat Monaco in the Emirates Cup.

(Getty Images)

Arteta wants to bring in Raya from Brentford as competition for Ramsdale, who knows his position as Arsenal's No1 goalkeeper could soon be under threat.

Ramsdale endured a shaky end to last season but he has never been one to shy away from a challenge, and his impressive pre-season suggests that, in his mind, the competition has already started.

Indeed, Ramsdale did not just help the Gunners by saving Rodri's shootout spot-kick. He also saved a firm John Stones header and then produced two outstanding stops to keep Arsenal in the match once City had gone ahead through Cole Palmer in the 77th minute.

First, he blocked with his legs when Phil Foden looked like he would put the game to bed, then, from the resulting corner, he scrambled across his goal to keep out Rodri's glanced header. Arsenal equalised through Leandro Trossard in stoppage time.

It bodes well for Arteta, even if the Arsenal manager did not think Ramsdale's display was because he felt he has something to prove.

"I hope not," Arteta said. "Competition always exists, that's what it has to feel like. He was great. We practise penalties a lot on purpose in pre-season to be ready [for] this."

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