Match Coverage

Forget Gyokeres and Dowman, Jamie Redknapp highlighted Arsenal’s real ‘difference’ in Leeds United victory

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Arsenal cruised to an emphatic 5-0 victory over Leeds United to move top of the Premier League table.

After a frustrating start to the game, the floodgates opened for Mikel Arteta’s side as Jurrien Timber headed home Declan Rice’s corner before Bukayo Saka lashed home a second before half time.

Viktor Gyokeres silenced Gary Neville as he bagged a second half brace with Timber’s second goal sandwiched in between.

It was an excellent result for the Gunners with Gyokeres and youngster Max Dowman taking the plaudits but Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp was quick to highlight a player that prevented a different outcome.

READ MORE: Arsenal fans are all in agreement after watching Max Dowman’s performance against Leeds United

David Raya in action during Arsenal v Leeds United in the Premier League clash.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

Jamie Redknapp praises David Raya’s performance in Arsenal’s victory over Leeds United

For the first 33 minutes of the game, Leeds United restricted Arsenal to having no attempts on target and actually looked the more dangerous of the two teams.

They nearly went in front from a corner on the 20th minute when Pascal Struijk’s powerful header was brilliantly turned over the bar by David Raya.

Speaking on Sky Sports half time coverage of the match, Redknapp was under no illusions just how important the save was to Arsenal and praised the Spanish keeper.

Redknapp stated: “Raya is such a fantastic goalkeeper, he really is, his concentration, gets his hands up, he’s so agile and that is actually a real difference for them.”

The save kept the game goalless and had it not been for the Spaniard, Leeds may have had a lead to hold onto to make the Gunners’ afternoon a little nervy.

David Raya’s match statistics v Leeds United

Apart from that save it was a quiet afternoon for Raya, however, he once again displayed that he brings more than just shot-stopping to the side.

Raya was often the first phase of Arsenal’s build up play, drawing the Leeds press onto the Gunners’ back line before finding some line-breaking passes.

Arsenal v Leeds United match statisticsDavid Raya
Minutes played90
Touches 35
Saves1
Passing accuracy90%
David Raya’s match statistics v Leeds United via Sofascore

Arsenal will know that Raya will not be in for as easy an afternoon in their next fixture at Anfield as they travel to the defending champions Liverpool.

However, they will need his cool head under pressure and maybe one or two more fingertip saves if they are to walk away from the match with something.