David Raya’s jaw-dropping save is Arsenal’s title-defining moment | OneFootball

It was one of those moments on the football field when, inexplicably, time stands still.

This Premier League title race – and it has very much been a battle between two contenders, more so than it seemed it was going to be – was bound to be defined by a key, big moment. But rather than Arsenal‘s equivalent of a last-minute Aguero(oooooo) goal, or even an unexpected Vincent Kompany piledriver, this season’s defining big moment may well have been a save.

With 77 minutes on the clock at the London Stadium and the scores level between relegation-threatened West Ham and title-chasing Arsenal, the hosts managed to break through into the opposition box at pace.

A one-two between Mateus Fernandes and Pablo set the former up for a one-on-one chance – and prompted one of those squealing sounds that only Gary Neville can make on commentary. You know the sort.

In a game so decisive at both ends of the table, was the script about to be torn up?

Not if David Raya had anything to say about it.

Standing his ground, Arsenal’s goalkeeper waited for Fernandes’ shot from inside the six-yard box, spread his legs and kept the ball out.

It was the chance with the highest xG from the whole game, with the calculations implying Fernandes was more likely to score than miss from that range. You probably didn’t need the data boffins to tell you that. But Raya had other ideas.

It was a clutch moment from a player who will be a worthy recipient of the Premier League’s Golden Glove award for the third season in a row.

Barely five minutes later, Leandro Trossard scored at the other end to put Arsenal in front. His chance, for what it’s worth, had an xG lower than half of Fernandes’. If anyone won this game for Arsenal, it felt more like it was Raya.

The Gunners held onto their lead, with their goalkeeper involved again as they breathed a huge sigh of relief when VAR ruled out a would-be equaliser by West Ham. While trying to claim the ball, Raya was obstructed by Pablo, and thus the goal was overturned.

That was that. Arsenal’s 1-0 win puts them one step closer to the title. Time is running out for them to drop points, and had Raya not resisted West Ham’s sudden pressure when he did, this game could well have been one in which they did.

Raya will make more aesthetically pleasing saves. This was pure instinct, as opposed to calculated skill. But he might never make one as important.