Mikel Arteta refused to blame David Raya for the goalkeeping errors that forced Arsenal to come from a goal down to beat Luton Town 4-3 at Kenilworth Road, instead suggesting his team must simply defend situations better.
The 28-year-old, a summer signing on loan from Brentford, made two mistakes in the space of eight minutes as Luton turned the tide against the Premier League leaders.
Raya was beaten to a corner by Elijah Adebayo in the 49th minute and was then beaten by Ross Barkley’s shot, which squirmed under his body to give the home side the lead.
But Arteta, who was booked for the way he celebrated Declan Rice’s injury-time winner and will now serve a touchline ban, was not interested in blaming the Spaniard, instead telling reporters after the game that Arsenal must simply defend better as a whole.
“We have to defend better the situations as a team. There are certain things leading to the goals and it’s not about blaming, we have never done it, and we’re not going to do it now,” Arteta said when asked about Raya’s display.
“It’s about how the team reacts to that, because it’s going to happen, and I love that response.”
“We don’t want a draw, we want to win! That drive, that energy, that risk and emotion that we put in the pitch, you can sense it,” Arteta continued. “Today we conceded some goals that we are going to be disappointed with but that’s part of it as well. It’s going to happen and how we react to that, and it was great.”
Raya replaced Aaron Ramsdale in goal for Arsenal‘s fifth Premier League game of the season and has gone on to establish himself as the club’s number one goalkeeper.
90min recently revealed that Arsenal have already informed Brentford of their intention to activate the £27m purchase clause in Raya’s loan deal, casting further doubt over the long-term future of Ramsdale.
The 25-year-old, who has been at the Emirates Stadium for just over two years, will be allowed to leave Arsenal in the summer, 90min understands, though he may have still have eyes on reclaiming his place in the side after Raya’s latest display.
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