Mikel Arteta makes key squad decision that will affect rest of Arsenal team after PSV win

Arsenal are expected to make David Raya the club's long-term no.1 goalkeeper, LondonWorld understands.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has started the goalkeeper in the Premier League and Champions League, with Aaron Ramsdale banished to the bench.

Ramsdale had started every Premier League game since March 2022 before being dropped for Raya for Arsenal's 1-0 win at Everton.

“That’s his [Arteta’s] choice, it’s not my choice,” said Raya when questioned over Arteta’s decision to start him ahead of Ramsdale.

“If Aaron comes back in he needs to fight for the team and to win games.

“I think it’s the first time that two top goalies are on the same team. That’s just part of football now.

“The gaffer wants two top players for each position and that’s what we have to work with.

“I played the last two games and I don’t know what’s going to happen on Sunday.”

Arteta spoke about the decision to play Raya ahead of Ramsdale after the game, with the on loan shot stopper now set for a run in the team.

“It’s the same rationale as to why Fabio (Vieira) and Gabby [Jesus] played,” he said. “I haven’t had a single question about why Gabriel hasn’t been starting. He has won more trophies than anybody else in that dressing room, including me.

“I want Aaron to react the same as Gabriel Jesus. The same as Kai Havertz, as Takehiro Tomiyasu. Exactly the same. We play with 11 players, not 10 plus one.

“I’m a really young manager - I’ve been in the job three and a half years. I have few regrets but one of them is that on two occasions, I felt after 60 minutes and 85 minutes of two games in this period to change the goalkeeper in that moment.

“I didn’t do it. I didn’t have the courage to do it. But I’m able to take a winger or striker and put a centre-back on to play a back five to hold on to a result. We drew those games and I was so unhappy.

“Someone is going to do it and maybe that’s strange. But why not? Tell me why not. You have all the qualities in another goalkeeper to do something. You want to change the momentum. Do it.

“It’s a regret that I have. Now my feeling is to get everybody engaged, that they have to play regardless of the competition. That’s my message.

“We adapt to our qualities that our players have and try to play to their strengths. There are games to do certain things, games to do other things.

“In my opinion it was really important against Everton, and it was really important to benefit the team.”