Criticism from the celebration police promptly followed Arsenal’s victory over Liverpool at the Emirates last season, with Jamie Carragher left unimpressed by Martin Ødegaard’s attempts at amateur photography. But “the same emotions” will be on show if the result is repeated on Sunday, says David Raya.
Arsenal were 3-1 victors when the two teams met in February, with Ødegaard marking the celebrations by borrowing the club photographer’s camera on the pitch. The Sky Sports pundit Carragher fumed: “Just get down the tunnel. You’ve won a game, three points, you’ve been brilliant. Back in the title race, get down the tunnel. I’m serious, honestly.” His fellow pundit Gary Neville added: “There’s a little bit of immaturity” in Arsenal’s celebrations.
Such disapproval is unlikely to deter Mikel Arteta’s side should they end up victorious against Arne Slot’s high-flyers. “Every win in the Premier League is important and I think we should celebrate every win the same,” said the Arsenal goalkeeper Raya.
“Of course, when we played them in the second half of the season it was a massive three points for us and that emotion for everybody to win against Liverpool is important and is incredible. If we win on Sunday, it’s going to be the same emotions and same celebrations.”
Raya will not have William Saliba – who played every minute in the league last season – in front of him for the fixture, with the centre-half suspended after receiving a red card in the 2-0 defeat by Bournemouth last weekend. Saliba’s sending-off was Arsenal’s third this season, after the previous dismissals of Declan Rice against Brighton and Leandro Trossard against Manchester City. Arsenal dropped points in all three fixtures.
“Saliba is just trying to do the right thing and just got sent off which in my opinion is just a yellow,” said Raya. “We just need to learn from the mistakes we have made. It’s the third time in eight games this season that we’ve had a man sent off. A red card changed the contest completely in every game. It is hard enough to win a game in the Premier League with 11 players, imagine it with 10 players in three games this season.”
Raya offered warm words on Trossard, whose misplaced pass culminated in Saliba’s error against Bournemouth and who missed a late penalty in the midweek victory over Shakhtar Donetsk. “He has a great attitude, I don’t think that’s going to play on his mind. He’s a top professional and a top lad. He’s just got to focus on doing the right things and you can make mistakes, it’s part of football.”
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On the challenge that awaits, a Liverpool side with seven wins from eight in the league, Raya added: “They’ve got a new manager and I think they’ve increased the level. They’re a top, top team. There are a lot of top teams in the Premier League now, not just Manchester City, Liverpool and us. Anybody can win the league.”
