David Raya extended his remarkable unbeaten run as Arsenal matched a 122-year club record with their eighth consecutive clean sheet in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Slavia Prague. The goalkeeper, who has now gone nearly 13 hours without conceding, remains focused despite his side’s defensive dominance.
Raya, who has made only seven saves in four Champions League matches this season, briefly faced a scare when Slavia were awarded a late penalty — later overturned by VAR — before saving their only shot on target in stoppage time.
The Spaniard’s 50th clean sheet in 110 Arsenal games took him past Jimmy Ashcroft’s long-standing mark from 1903. Fans have joked he could “work from home” and still keep a clean sheet, but Raya insists he must stay sharp:
“You never know when the other team will have a chance. I have to be alert 90, 100 minutes every game,” he said.
Manager Mikel Arteta praised Raya’s focus and preparation, crediting his work with goalkeeping coach Iñaki Caña, who joined Arsenal from Brentford alongside the keeper. Raya boasts an 84.2% save rate, the best in the Premier League, and his speed and proactive style have made him vital to Arsenal’s buildup play.
Having eliminated early errors in his Arsenal career, Raya has become one of Europe’s standout keepers. As Arteta’s side prepare to face Sunderland this weekend, they do so as the first English top-flight team in over a century to win eight straight games without conceding — and with Raya’s composure at the heart of it.
