![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/arsenal-goalkeepers-aaron-ramsdale-david-raya-696x392.jpg\" "\\"arsenal-goalkeepers-aaron-ramsdale-david-raya\\"\/")
<\/div>\nArsenal manager Mikel Arteta has played down his decision to replace England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale with David Raya against Everton on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Raya, who\u00a0joined on loan from Brentford\u00a0this summer, started his Premier League debut for Arsenal in their\u00a01-0 win.<\/p>\n
Ramsdale played in all 38 of the Gunners\u2019 league games last season.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s the same rationale that Fabio [Vieira] played here or Eddie [Nketiah] played instead of Gabriel Jesus,\u201d Arteta said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t had a single question on why Gabriel Jesus hasn\u2019t started and he\u2019s won more trophies than anyone, including me, in that dressing room.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cannot have two players like this in one position and not play them. David has tremendous qualities like Aaron has, like Karl [Hein] has, but we have to use them you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arsenal will make their first Champions League appearance since the 2016-17 season against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday before playing Tottenham in Sunday\u2019s north London derby.<\/p>\n
Arteta suggested he will continue to rotate Ramsdale and Spain\u2019s Raya and added there had been previous occasions during his Arsenal tenure when he wanted to switch goalkeepers mid-match.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t have the courage to do it. But I\u2019m able to take a winger, or a striker, or a central defender or to drop to a five and hold that result,\u201d Arteta said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe drew those games and I was so unhappy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy? Why not? [change the keeper]. We have all the qualities in another goalkeeper to do something when something is happening and you want to change momentum. Do it. Now my feeling is to get everybody engaged in the team. They have to play, regardless of the competition. We have to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Too early to understand Arteta\u2019s decision\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Ex-Manchester City and QPR defender Nedum Onuoha said it is \u201ctoo early\u201d to understand Arteta\u2019s decision to swap in Raya for Ramsdale.<\/p>\n \u201cI was surprised and I did feel a bit for Ramsdale,\u201d Onuoha told the\u00a0Football Daily podcast.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is too early to understand the why because I need to see who he is going to pick midweek in the Champions League, who he is going to pick for the game against Spurs and whether this is going to be for a prolonged period or whether it\u2019s going to be a week-by-week basis which I don\u2019t think would benefit either of them.\u201d<\/p>\n Former Tottenham and Fulham full-back Stephen Kelly added: \u201cAs a defender I don\u2019t think you are worried about it if the player coming in is as equal or as good as the player going out. That\u2019s the difference.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been in teams where there is a certain number one and a certain number two. When the number two came in, you wouldn\u2019t be worried about them but you would need to protect them a bit more.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is like for like. You are not changing anything when it comes to quality.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n