Rice: Goalkeeper Raya Always Makes Key Saves; Aim for Next Match at Manchester City Is to Win

On September 20th, in the first round of the Champions League, Arsenal drew 0-0 away against Atalanta. After the game, Rice gave an interview where he praised Raya’s outstanding performance on the field and also stated that the goal for the upcoming top-of-the-table clash against Manchester City this weekend is to secure a win.

Rice commented on this match: “I’m very pleased that our team managed another clean sheet. Our central defender pairing performed excellently, and no praise would be too high for them. Goalkeeper Raya’s performance was even more incredible.”

Rice had particularly high praise for goalkeeper Raya: “He always keeps a cool head. Last season, he was undoubtedly our number one player. In the three games we’ve played so far this season, Raya has made crucial saves, and he always makes the right decisions on the pitch.”

This weekend, Arsenal will travel to play away against Manchester City, which will be a highly anticipated top-of-the-table clash. Rice said that the Gunners’ goal is to win: “The coach (Arteta) told me that our aim for this away game against Manchester City is to win. This match will be very important for our entire season.”

Rice then talked about how Arsenal should face Manchester City: “We trust each other on the pitch, and this is very important in matches against Manchester City. I watched Manchester City’s game last night, and they have very strong ball control. Sometimes they can pin opponents back in their own half, but we will think of ways to counteract this and not just sit back and wait.”