David Raya’s September award came from the sort of moment that can alter the temperature of an away afternoon. Arsenal were level at Sunderland when the Spaniard flung himself low to his left and kept out Enzo Le Fée’s penalty, turning a potential setback into the platform for a 2-0 win.
The save, made on 12 September in the fourth round of Premier League fixtures, has been named the division’s Save of the Month. Raya produced a strong left hand near the ground to deny Le Fée in the 56th minute, with the score still goalless.
Quick facts
- David Raya has won the Premier League Save of the Month award for September.
- He stopped Enzo Le Fée’s penalty for Sunderland in the 56th minute on 12 September.
- Arsenal scored through Bruno Guimarães two minutes later, with Bukayo Saka adding a late second.
- Raya has conceded four goals across Arsenal’s opening five league matches.
- The 31-year-old has collected the Premier League Golden Glove in each of the past three seasons.
There was more than a clean-sheet statistic riding on the intervention. Sunderland had the chance to take the lead well into the second half, but Raya’s stop gave Arsenal a lift and Bruno Guimarães struck two minutes later with a fine finish.
Saka sealed the points in added time, completing a 2-0 result that took Arsenal to a perfect 12 points from their first four matches. That early run ended in the following fixture, however, when Brighton beat them 3-0.
Raya, the Barcelona-born Arsenal and Spain goalkeeper, has continued where he left off after a trophy-laden previous season. He won the Premier League, Community Shield and World Cup, while his third successive Golden Glove confirmed his standing among the league’s most reliable keepers.
Four goals conceded in five matches is a measured start rather than a flawless one, but the Sunderland save carried the weight of a defining contribution. Goalkeepers rarely get the luxury of choosing their big moments; Raya has made a habit of taking them when they arrive.
