Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya assured himself the Premier League Golden Glove award for the third year in succession on Sunday with his 18 clean sheets no longer able to be surpassed.
Raya was at the centre of Arsenal's dramatic win over West Ham at the London Stadium, making a couple of crucial saves before VAR deemed he was fouled by Pablo in the dying stages as a West Ham equaliser was disallowed.
His nearest competition, Manchester City's Gianluigi Donnarumma, has 14 league clean sheets to his name and can no longer catch up with City only having three league games remaining.
Raya's last-ditch stop of a Matheus Fernandes effort, just before Arsenal went down the other end to open the scoring through Leandro Trossard, may yet be looked back on as a sliding doors moment in their title charge.
"When you talk about magic moments, this is certainly one of the most needed moments as well to pull off with that save. He [Raya] was incredible," Arteta said postmatch on Sunday.
Raya joins Pepe Reina, Joe Hart and Éderson as the goalkeepers to earn the award three years in a row and it means he has taken home the award in every campaign since his move across London from Brentford in 2023.
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The decision to disallow West Ham's equaliser in stoppage-time for a foul on Raya was one that Arteta labelled "brave" as Arsenal moved closer to their first Premier League title in 22 years.
"[It was] a call from the refs that I think is very brave, but very consistent with what they've been talking about all season," he said.
"So when I have to be critical, I have been. And today, I have to praise them at least for giving the option to a referee to decide. Away from the lights and the chaos, to give clarity to him to make the right call. And when you look at the action in that way, I think it is an obvious error.
"It is a free kick, and the goal has to be disallowed. So congratulations because they made a big call in very, very difficult circumstances."
