David Raya ran straight to Arsenal’s coaching staff after Bruno Guimaraes scored from distance against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, with the goalkeeper having made a crucial penalty save just 121 seconds earlier.
While Guimaraes and his team-mates celebrated their second-half strike by the corner flag, Raya headed towards the touchline, where he was embraced by Mikel Arteta and his coaches.
BBC Sport journalist Alex Brotherton, reporting from the press box, said: “While Bruno Guimaraes and his team-mates celebrated that wonder-strike, David Raya ran over to the sideline and was mobbed by Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff.”
“Without his penalty save, that goal might never happen,” Brotherton added.
David Raya’s penalty save changed the game
Raya had kept Arsenal level moments earlier by diving low to his left and turning Enzo Le Fée’s penalty on to the post. The save helped set up the sequence that led to Guimaraes’ goal.
The Spanish goalkeeper was called upon again late in the second half as Sunderland pressed for an equaliser, denying Nordi Mukiele from close range after a dangerous cross from Granit Xhaka.
Raya was subsequently awarded a match-best rating of 9/10 as Arsenal completed a hard-fought 2-0 victory. Bukayo Saka added a late penalty, while Raya’s saves proved central to the result.
