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William Saliba has hailed Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya following the latter's debut for the club during Sunday's 1-0 victory over Everton. The Gunners secured all three points at Goodison Park thanks to Leandro Trossard's pinpoint strike in the second-half.
It was a huge win for the north London outfit considering they had failed to win on Merseyside since 2017, now sitting just two points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City. Ahead of the trip up north, Mikel Arteta made the surprise decision to drop Aaron Ramsdale for summer signing Raya, who had little to do on his first appearance in an Arsenal shirt.
After the full-time whistle, the 27-year-old took to social media, posting a picture on Instagram to mark his debut. Centre-back Saliba commented on the photo by simply saying: "Top," seemingly impressed with his new teammate's display.
Newcastle United icon Alan Shearer questioned Arteta's decision, claiming that rotating 'keepers is not something that ever works out for all parties. Speaking on Premier League Productions, Shearer said: "Big moment for him [Raya].
"And a big moment for the manager because it justifies what he is trying to do. I am sure that Ramsdale would have been really disappointed to be left out, whether there is going to be the rotation in the Champions League, we will have to wait and see.
"I feel that is the one position you need a regular, if you can, because of the understanding you need to have with your back four. This is what he [Raya] did really well [handling from crosses/set-pieces], without being spectacular, or pulling off great saves. He actually gave his defence a lot of relief, at times, when he came to collect those balls.
"And, for a defender, that is fantastic to take the pressure off them."
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