Peter Schmeichel Explains Why David Raya Has Been Crucial to Arsenal’s Premier League Success

According to a report by Metro on Monday, October 19, 2026, former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has credited David Raya with playing a crucial role in Arsenal’s Premier League title triumph last season.

Schmeichel believes Arsenal would have fallen well short of winning the championship without the Spanish goalkeeper, whose performances have helped establish him among the leading goalkeepers in European football.

Mikel Arteta guided Arsenal to their first Premier League title since 2004 last season, with the Gunners finishing seven points ahead of Manchester City. They also reached the Champions League final and conceded only 27 goals across their 38 league matches.

Raya was central to that defensive achievement after joining Arsenal in 2024. The goalkeeper has won the Premier League Golden Glove award three times, further underlining his importance to Arteta’s side.

Speaking on The Overlap Daily, Schmeichel admitted he was initially surprised when Arsenal brought Raya into the squad while Aaron Ramsdale was performing well.

The former Denmark international had admired Ramsdale’s aggressive goalkeeping style, particularly his willingness to come off his line and make interventions. However, he has since acknowledged Arteta’s decision to recruit Raya and establish him as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.

Schmeichel recalled interviewing Raya after Arsenal’s championship success and telling him that the team would not have come close to winning the title without his contribution.

He highlighted the goalkeeper’s ability to produce decisive saves during important moments, particularly when Arsenal committed more players forward and left fewer defenders behind.

According to Schmeichel, Raya has also improved significantly when dealing with crosses, adding another important dimension to his game. His performances have given Arsenal greater confidence that he can prevent goals in difficult situations.

Arsenal have continued their defensive strength into the new campaign, conceding only five goals in their opening seven Premier League matches while winning six of those fixtures.

Their latest victory came against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, when Noni Madueke scored a late goal to secure a 1-0 win and keep the Gunners three points behind leaders Manchester City.

Arteta described the result as an important victory at a difficult venue, acknowledging that his players had to remain patient and disciplined against a well-organised opponent.

Arsenal will now turn their attention to the Champions League, with a challenging trip to Bayern Munich next on their schedule.

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