Ruben Amorim and Mikel Arteta were unable to be separated as Arsenal and Manchester United drew at Old Trafford.
The Gunners headed to Manchester fuelled by the mid-week thrashing of PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
Unlike the seven goals scored in the Netherlands, fans at Old Trafford were exposed to a considerably lower level of performance, as Arsenal drew 1-1 with Man United.
A second-half goal from Declan Rice spared Arteta’s blushes against what Ruben Amorim has described as the worst Man United team in history, with the points shared after 90 minutes.
Though Rice was the goalscorer, it was another Arsenal star who caught Amorim’s eye, as the Man United manager singled out David Raya after the contest.
Ruben Amorim praises David Raya’s performance vs Man United
Raya was the topic of a lot of talk from the fixture, as the goalkeeper was both shunned and applauded.
As Bruno Fernandes scored Man United’s controversial free kick, the Spaniard’s positioning was questioned but, he certainly redeemed himself after the interval.
Arteta watched on as Raya single-handedly ensured that Arsenal didn’t suffer defeat at Old Trafford, pulling off a series of world-class saves to deny the hosts.
Speaking to the media after the game, Amorim namedropped Raya when analysing United’s chances of taking three points.
“If you look at the chances, I think we were quite close to winning the game,” the United boss admitted.
“David Raya did really well to defend his goal and, sometimes, if the ball is 10 centimetres a little bit to the side, it can change a game.”
Raya pulled off a remarkable save to deny Noussair Mazraoui before Arsenal’s equaliser, playing an essential part in the draw.
Arsenal fans agree with Amorim about Raya
At halftime, Raya was questioned because of how easy it seemed for Fernandes to execute his free kick.
At full-time, opinion had changed quite significantly, as Arsenal fans lauded the goalkeeper on social media.
“All goalkeepers make mistakes, but David Raya is the best we’ve had in the Emirates era. Never felt more secure with any other goalkeeper,” an Arsenal fan said.
Another referenced how the Spain international turned the game around for himself, “Despite the opening goal, without him today we lose by a couple.”
“Raya doesn’t get enough credit. I believe that he’s one of our best players this season,” a fellow supporter said, showering the shot-stopper with praise.
Though Amorim and plenty of others thought the draw was earned by Raya alone, another fan refused to ignore Rice’s contribution.
“David Raya and Declan Rice saved us yesterday. Nobody other than them woke up to the occasion,” they said.
Now that the title race is all but over, Arsenal must focus on what can be salvaged from the season, with one positive being Raya’s growth throughout the campaign.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
