Mikel Arteta said Arsenal are motivated to deliver David Raya his second Golden Glove in as many years ahead of their final match of the season.
Arsenal will travel to Southampton on Sunday with their Champions League qualification already secured, and a runners-up spot all but certain. Arsenal are three points clear of third-placed Manchester City with a superior goal difference.
With Southampton’s relegation back to the Championship long since confirmed, Sunday’s fixture on the south coast is effectively a dead-rubber.
💬 “There’s motivation because you want to have as many points as possible. You are always here representing this club to win and to play in the manner that we want to do.”
Mikel on ending our campaign positively 👇
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) May 22, 2025
However, Raya could yet end the campaign with the most clean sheets in the Premier League.
The former Brentford goalkeeper heads into the concluding fixture tied on 13 shutouts with Nottingham Forest’s Matt Sels. Forest entertain Chelsea at the City Ground in a final-day shootout for a top-five spot.
“There’s motivation because you want to have as many points as possible,” said Arteta. “You are always here representing this club to win and to play in the manner that we want to do.
“We still want to achieve the best defensive record, the Golden Glove is still to play for and to finish the season again on a high with a good test and always respecting the competition.”
Arteta’s decision to sign Raya in place of established England international Aaron Ramsdale was viewed as a controversial move at the time.
However, Raya, 29, could become the first goalkeeper in Arsenal’s history to finish a second straight campaign with the most Premier League shutouts.
Former Arsenal number one Ramsdale will be in action at the other end after he joined the Saints last summer.
Asked if Raya’s signature was one of the best transfer moves of his tenure, Arteta replied: “We make decisions with that intention, but at the time it was a very unpopular one, and there was so much pressure on it not to get it done.
“But we have to feel with our gut and we had to be very analytical of what we think is necessary to improve the team and to take the team to a different level.
“And certainly everybody at the club, around the team, and our supporters are very happy with the way David has been consistently performing at the highest level in the last few seasons.”
Raya will have a depleted backline in front of him at St Mary’s, with Willam Saliba and Jurrien Timber both out through injury. They join Gabriel on the sidelines with Riccardo Calafiori set to partner Jakub Kiwior at the heart of Arsenal’s defence.
