Mikel Arteta says he saw one Arsenal player do something ‘very unusual’ vs Brentford

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Arsenal kicked off 2025 with a good win over Brentford in the Premier League.

The Gunners were unbeaten in London derbies in the whole of 2024, and they have now carried that form into the new year.

Gabriel Jesus levelled the game for Arsenal after Bryan Mbeumo gave Brentford the lead. Mikel Merino put the Gunners in front in the second half before Gabriel Martinelli sealed the game.

The win over the Bees away from home really is a great result for Arsenal, but things could’ve been very different because of one first-half moment.

Mikel Arteta reacts to David Raya’s ‘very unusual’ mistake during Brentford vs Arsenal

David Raya has been one of Arsenal’s best players this season.

The Spain international is integral to the way the Gunners play out from the back, and he has pulled off a few sensational saves as well over the last few months.

On New Year’s Day, Raya returned to Brentford and started for the first time since he left the Bees to join Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

The win made his return very special, but the Spaniard was inches away from having one of the most humiliating moments of his Gunners career.

The 29-year-old made a mistake while stopping a shot, and the ball looked like it was on its way into the goal. But, Raya leapt at full stretch and pushed it out.

Arsenal fans were not happy with Raya’s display against Brentford, and Arteta also claimed that his error was ‘very unusual’ because he rarely ever makes such mistakes.

When asked what he was thinking right after Raya made a meal of his save, Arteta said, as per Arsenal.com: “Hopefully that the watch didn’t vibrate!

“Obviously, it was a very unusual action from David, it happens and we’re lucky that the goal didn’t go in, probably it would’ve changed the game. So, good, the team adapted.”

The one thing David Raya does that helps Arsenal so much

Raya is a near-perfect modern-day goalkeeper.

The Spaniard is excellent with his feet, his distribution is up there with the best in the world and his shot-stopping is mostly outstanding as well.

However, the one underrated trait Raya possesses that not many people talk about is his ability to pluck the ball out of mid-air during crosses.

Fbref reveals that Raya stops 11.2 per cent of the crosses he faces every game, which puts him in the 97th percentile when compared to other goalkeepers in the top-five Leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League. 

That calms things down when Arsenal are under pressure and reduces the chaos inside the box. That helps so much – it is perhaps the biggest reason why Arteta preferred Raya over Aaron Ramsdale.