Arsenal dropped 2 points due to an unexpected mistake from a star player

Arsenal lost a valuable victory in the final moments during their away match at Sunderland, and legend David Seaman believes goalkeeper David Raya shares some responsibility for the conceded goal.

The match at the Stadium of Light seemed to be within Arsenal’s grasp when Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard scored consecutively, helping Mikel Arteta’s team Mikel Arteta come from behind to take the lead. Earlier, Dan Ballard, a former academy graduate of Arsenal, had opened the scoring for Sunderland.

However, the home side fought back strongly and equalized 2-2 in stoppage time with a stunning overhead kick from Brian Brobbey. Analyzing on Premier League Productions, former goalkeeper David Seaman expressed doubts about Raya’s decision in the situation that led to the goal:

“I wonder if Raya should have come out for that ball. The way he rushed out seemed hesitant, did he realize Brobbey was closing in? It was an excellent strike but I think Raya should have chosen to punch the ball rather than trying to catch it cleanly.”

This was a rare error from Raya, who has been consistent since joining Arsenal from Brentford. The Spanish goalkeeper has made over 110 appearances for the “Gunners,” kept 50 clean sheets, and is one of the key figures behind the team’s strongest defense in the Premier League this season.

Despite being held to a draw by Sunderland, Arsenal remain top of the table with a 7-point lead, but that advantage could shrink if Liverpool or Manchester City win their upcoming direct clash.

Seaman further commented: “This match was really tough, especially in the first half. Sunderland played in an organized manner and knew exactly what to do; they deliberately played long balls, pushing the ball into Arsenal’s half instead of trying to build from the back. Arsenal still controlled the game, so this draw isn’t a disaster.”

After this game, Arsenal will have a break from domestic matches due to the November international fixtures, before returning to face a fierce North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur, a challenge expected to be extremely intense.

Related article

Mikel Arteta: 'Arsenal should have performed better' After being held to a draw by Sunderland and ending their winning streak, coach Mikel Arteta expressed dissatisfaction with Arsenal’s performance. See more