‘Special’… Pundit says £28m player’s relationship with the Arsenal fans changed last night

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Arsenal beat Porto on penalties in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

David Raya was the hero in the shootout as the north London club prevailed on penalties.

The Spaniard came up with a big save to win the shootout for the Gunners, and this was undoubtedly Raya’s biggest moment in an Arsenal shirt to date.

Speaking on The Breakdown, Adrian Clarke has been discussing Raya’s heroics, and he says that the goalkeeper’s relationship with the Arsenal fans changed last night.

David Raya became a hero

Clarke spoke about the £28m goalkeeper.

“I really enjoyed that shootout, I loved the fans pulling together to put off the players,” Clarke said..

“David Raya came up trumps. Raya has struggled to establish that connection with the supporters, because we love Aaron Ramsdale so much, but tonight is the night that bond was forged.”

“The thing about Raya I like is that he’s explosive, he has that spring. He’s tailor-made for penalties. The save at the end was magnificent. A brilliant moment for him and it’s the moment he really arrives as an Arsenal player. When you join a new team until you make that first big contribution you don’t feel at home, but tonight was the night for David Raya, and hopefully this is the springboard for something special.”

Big moment

Clarke is spot on here.

Arsenal fans haven’t quite warmed up to Raya yet due to their long-standing loyalty to Aaron Ramsdale, but now, he’s won a place in all their hearts.

It’s impossible to resist the emotion that a penalty shootout win brings, and while there will still be a few fans who want Ramsdale back in the team, there won’t be an ill word said about Raya after this shootout win.

Raya has made himself an Arsenal hero, and hopefully he can kick-on from here.