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Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya's heroic performance in their UEFA Champions League last 16 clash with FC Porto has earned praise from former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O'Hara.
Raya pulled off two brilliant saves in a 4-2 penalty shootout win (1-1 aggregate draw) to take the Gunners to the quarterfinals. He also made three saves over 120 minutes and found his man with 32 passes.
It was a memorable outing for the 28-year-old who has dealt with his fair share of critics after replacing Aaron Ramsdale. He took Arsenal's No.1 jersey from the England international in a move that surprised some.
O'Hara highlighted Raya's improvement during his debut season at the Emirates. The former Tottenham midfielder told talkSPORT:
"[He was] really good. We were thinking, will they put Ramsdale on? Raya has been brilliant, fairplay to him, he’s stepped up. Started with a few risks, but he’s come through and tonight, he was fantastic."
Raya joined Arsenal from Brentford last summer on loan with a view to a permanent £27 million deal. He's appeared 29 times across competitions, keeping 13 clean sheets.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that the north Londoners decided to trigger Raya's buy option months ago. His penalty heroics helped the Premier League giants reach the Champions League quarterfinals for the first time since 2010.
Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp compares Arsenal's Declan Rice to Yaya Toure
Declan Rice also performed well in Arsenal's victory against Porto on Tuesday night (March 12). The English midfielder won six of 10 aerial and ground duels, found his man with six of eight long ball attempts, and scored in the shootout.
The 25-year-old joined the Gunners from West Ham United last summer in a club-record £100 million (including add-ons) deal. He's been a mainstay in Arteta's side, registering six goals and seven assists in 39 games across competitions.
Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp touched on Rice and the fee the north Londoners paid. He called it a bargain (via London World):
"He cost a lot of money, but Declan Rice is looking like a bargain to me. Declan’s got everything and he just keeps getting better. He’s been playing further forward for Arsenal and causing so many problems with his pace and drive."
Redknapp alluded to comparisons between Rice and former Manchester City superstar Yaya Toure. He praised the England international's goal in his side's 2-1 win against Brentford (March 9):
"I’ve seen some people compare him to Yaya Toure, that’s not a bad comparison. He got a goal and really led that Arsenal side against Brentford."
Toure was one of the most formidable midfielders to grace Premier League football. The Ivorian won three titles with the Cityzens, scoring 79 goals and providing 49 assists in 316 games across competitions.
