David Raya has turned doubters into believers, says Martin Keown after heroics in Champions League: 'Anxiety' to 'unity'
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Updated 13/03/2024 at 07:41 GMT
Arsenal are through to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League after a penalty shootout win against Porto. David Raya proved to be the hero having saved two penalties, as the Gunners ended a 14-year wait to reach the last eight of Europe’s top competition. Martin Keown suggested the Spaniard - who has replaced Aaron Ramsdale as the first-choice keeper, had turned doubters into believers.
'The wait is finally over!’ – Arsenal end 14 years ‘of hurt’ as Raya saves decisive penalty
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Martin Keown says goalkeeper David Raya has turned doubters into believers after his penalty saving heroics took Arsenal into the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Raya stopped two spot kicks in the 4-2 shootout victory over Porto on Tuesday, after the tie finished 1-1 after extra time.
Raya, who joined the club from Brentford on loan in the summer, has replaced Aaron Ramsdale as Mikel Arteta's first-choice goalkeeper this season.
He proved his worth to the team having denied Wendell and Galeno from the spot, as Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice all found the net for Arsenal.
"There was an anxiety in the stadium when he first came into the Arsenal team. You see now, there’s a belief in him and there’s a unity now," Keown told TNT Sports.
Keown was also full of praise for Arsenal's character, saying: “They were world class when they took those penalties.
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‘Lift-off’ – Trossard gives Arsenal the lead against Porto
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“Each one of them was immense.”
Some supporters have criticised manager Arteta for making Raya his number one ahead of Ramsdale, but Keown thinks his performance will change opinions of him.
"Tonight is cementing him into the team, into the club,” he said.
Arsenal won the second leg 1-0, taking the tie to extra time, with Leandro Trossard scoring the only goal on the night with a slick finish just before half-time.
But it was the build up play from Martin Odegaard which drew plaudits.
Rio Ferdinand called it a "fantastically worked goal”, after the Norwegian found space on the edge of the box before providing an inch perfect pass to Trossard, who placed the ball in the bottom corner.
Reflecting on the goal, Ferdinand said: Wasn’t it wonderful? His [Odegaard] clarity, his vision.
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Highlights: Raya penalty heroics see Arsenal through to quarter-finals
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"You can’t give somebody like that, the locksmith, the keys there.”
Ferdinand thinks the win could be vital in how Arsenal attack the remainder of the season.
"This is wonderful for this football club.
"This is a young, inexperienced team who are getting experience on the job.
"Sometimes, the way in which you go through in these tournaments, it gives you the momentum again,” he said.
Keown agrees and has seen a shift in his old club this season.
"There’s an electricity now in the stadium that we haven’t seen for many a year.
"That’s 14 years since they’ve made it to this quarter-final stage, so we just need to feed off of that so the season continues in that upward trajectory,” he said.
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