Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has stated the Gunners are fired up to help goalkeeper David Raya clinch his second Golden Glove in as many years, as they gear up for their season finale at Southampton.
The north London club head to St Mary's on Sunday having already bagged a Champions League spot for next term, with a second-place finish almost in the bag. Arsenal are three points clear of third-placed Manchester City with a superior goal difference.
With Southampton having been relegated to the Championship a while back, Sunday’s encounter is effectively a dead-rubber. Yet for Raya, who swapped Brentford for the Emirates Stadium, there's still plenty at stake – he's vying for the most clean sheets this Premier League season, currently sharing top spot with 13 alongside Nottingham Forest's Matt Sels. Forest host Chelsea in a titanic tussle for fifth spot on the final day.
“There’s motivation because you want to have as many points as possible,” said Arteta. “You are always here representing this club to win and to play in the manner that we want to do.
“We still want to achieve the best defensive record, the Golden Glove is still to play for and to finish the season again on a high with a good test and always respecting the competition.”
Arteta’s decision to sign Raya in place of established England international Aaron Ramsdale was viewed as a controversial move at the time. However, Raya, 29, could become the first goalkeeper in Arsenal’s history to finish a second straight campaign with the most Premier League shutouts.
Former Arsenal number one Ramsdale will be in action at the other end after he joined the Saints last summer. Asked if Raya’s signature was one of the best transfer moves of his tenure, Arteta replied: “We make decisions with that intention, but at the time it was a very unpopular one, and there was so much pressure on it not to get it done.
“But we have to feel with our gut and we had to be very analytical of what we think is necessary to improve the team and to take the team to a different level. And certainly everybody at the club, around the team, and our supporters are very happy with the way David has been consistently performing at the highest level in the last few seasons.”
Raya will have a depleted backline in front of him at St Mary’s, with William Saliba and Jurrien Timber both out through injury. They join Gabriel on the sidelines with Riccardo Calafiori set to partner Jakub Kiwior at the heart of Arsenal’s defence.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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