Patrick Vieira has expressed his belief that Arsenal’s David Raya deserves to be named the Premier League Player of the Season following his receipt of the Golden Glove on Monday night.
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In the midst of ongoing discussions about who will be crowned Premier League Player of the Season, Patrick Vieira has endorsed David Raya as his top choice.
“For me, David Raya has to be the Player of the Season,” Vieira told Sky Sports. “He’s been exceptional from the very first match through the end of the season, truly impressive.”
“He made crucial saves that earned points for Arsenal. I don’t see anyone else performing at that level.”
“We tend to focus on forwards and creative players, but we also need to recognize defenders and goalkeepers. David has my vote.”
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On Monday night, Raya was awarded his Golden Glove after securing it on May 4th. He has since achieved additional clean sheets, bringing his total to 19 in the league with a shutout against Burnley.
The 30-year-old has matched Arsenal’s record for the most clean sheets in a Premier League season, previously held by David Seaman from 1993/94 and 1998/99.
If he manages to keep a clean sheet on Sunday, he will surpass that record and set a new benchmark.
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Regardless of whether Raya succeeds in achieving another clean sheet, Arsenal stands significantly ahead of their competitors in this regard.
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This season, the Gunners have recorded 32 clean sheets across all competitions (28 by Raya and four by Kepa), and OptaJoe indicates that this total is six more than any other team in the top five European leagues.
It’s been a successful season, and achieving two additional clean sheets would certainly elevate it to greatness.