David Raya continues to anchor Arsenal’s remarkable defensive streak, helping the club equal a 122-year-old record for consecutive clean sheets.
In Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League win over Slavia Prague, Raya nearly capped the night by saving a late penalty before VAR overturned the decision. The match marked Arsenal’s eighth straight clean sheet and 10th consecutive win, with Raya making just his seventh save in four European games this season.
Since conceding against Newcastle on 28 September, Arsenal have gone nearly 13 hours without allowing a goal, matching a defensive record first set in 1903. Raya’s 50th clean sheet in 110 appearances also made him the fastest goalkeeper in club history to reach the milestone.
Despite limited action in many games, Raya says he must stay sharp:
“You never know when the other team will get a chance. I have to be alert for 90, even 100 minutes,” he said.
Manager Mikel Arteta praised the Spaniard’s professionalism and constant communication with goalkeeping coach Iñaki Caña, with whom Raya first worked at Brentford. Raya also leads the Premier League with an 84.2% save rate and one of the highest top speeds for a goalkeeper.
Arsenal, now the first English top-flight side in over a century to win eight straight games without conceding, face Sunderland next as Raya looks to extend his record-breaking run.
