"He's a big concern", "Arsenal would have to start paying a heavier price" - ESPN pundits raise concerns over Gunners star despite win over Sevilla

ESPN pundits Craig Burley and Shaka Hislop have raised concerns over Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya's performance in their 2-1 UEFA Champions League win over Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

The Spaniard has displaced Aaron Ramsdale as the Gunners' No. 1 shot-stopper in the ongoing season.

With Arsenal leading 2-1 in the dying embers of the game, Raya almost punched a cross into his own goal. Luckily for him, the ball scooped over the bar and saved him blushes.

Discussing his performance in the match, Burley and Hislop were in agreement that the north London side would have to pay a price for these errors sooner or later.

Stressing on how Arsenal were forced to defend for the majority of the second half, Burley said on ESPN:

“[They] defended stoutly in the second half, the keeper we seem to talk about him every time, he’s a big concern for me still particularly with cross balls in.”

To this, Hislop replied:

“As an individual error, without it going into the net, I can’t think of anything much worse honestly. He gets ahead of the ball and it comes off the back of his hand and that’s the only explanation for it. I’m not sure whether it’s that he took his eye off the ball, whether it was just technically poor from him."

Trying to explain what would have been going on in Raya's mind, Burley added:

“I think he’s looking at what’s coming at him.”

Hislop concluded by saying:

“That shouldn’t be a concern, it really shouldn’t. The thing with David Raya, which we’ve been seeing time and time again, not really a lot to talk about him.

“You want him to get through 90 minutes and have a game where whether you concede or not, it’s not about a mistake, it’s not about giving the opposition a chance with the ball at his feet. Just get through the game, but he waits until the 94th minute to produce that.

“It just kind of raises eyebrows. If it’s an individual mistake, you put it down as it’s one of those and you get away with it but we are having these conversations every single game in one capacity or another and that becomes concerning because it’s only so long you can get away with it. He would have to right those wrongs or Arsenal would have to start paying a heavier price.”

Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring for the Gunners against Sevilla at the stroke of half-time. Gabriel Jesus doubled their advantage eight minutes into the second half but the home side soon hit back through Nemanja Gudelj in the 58th minute.

Arsenal managed to hold on despite a late assault from Sevilla and Raya's error. The Spain international made just one save in the game and could complete just 58% of his passes.

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta jumps in defence of Raya after error against Chelsea

David Raya was also at fault for Mykhailo Mudryk's goal in Arsenal's recent 2-2 draw with Chelsea. The shot-stopper failed to read Mudryk's cross, which went over him and into the far corner.

His error also almost gifted the Blues a third goal but the Gunners held on. A section of Arsenal fans were heard signing Ramsdale's name after Raya's errors at Stamford Bridge.

Defending his compatriot, Arteta said after the Premier League game (via The Guardian):

“Errors are part of football; mistakes happen from defenders, strikers and goalkeepers.”

Arsenal will be back in action on Saturday, October 28, against Sheffield United.