In the 54th minute at Villa Park on Saturday, with the game balanced on a knife edge at 0-0, David Raya pulled off what was undoubtedly an early contender for save of the season.
Amadou Onana looped a deflected shot off the bar, with Raya desperately scrambling backwards, before the ball bounced off the woodwork to Ollie Watkins, in front of goal with Raya prone on the deck.
Our goalie sprung up though, hurled himself to his left and clawed away the England man’s header and to safety. It proved to be a crucial moment. Here’s David’s recollection of the save in his own words.
“I know it's a shot from outside the box,” he began. “I think Gabi gets a nick on it, gets a deflection. I think it hits the ground, and then it goes over me, and I'm already going for to the shot. I think I put my knee on the floor, I'm not sure. And I see the ball going towards the goal.
“I tried to get a nick on it, but it hits the bar and from there I just remember kind of a slow motion, the ball going towards the pitch again. And I just stand up and I see Ollie Watkins with the head, and then I just react to it. The main thing is I got a hand on it to clear it away. That's the most important thing.”
So was it one of the best saves he’s ever made?
“Yeah, I think so,” said the Spaniard who won the Premier League Golden Glove Award last season. “I think it's one of those that the repetition in the training ground where you save and then you get up for another ball, is that reaction to come from the floor to get another action.
“So, it's just a flashback from training, kind of thing. Of course I'm delighted to be able to make that save, especially in the crucial moment that we were with 0-0. I think that gave us a little bit of a push for the team. And, not long after, I think we scored. So that was a big moment in the game.
“It's like a goal, basically. So it's really important, I think, for me and I think for the team.”
David also made a hugely important save against Wolves on the opening day, and last season’s PFA Team of the Year goalkeeper has started this campaign in similarly impressive form, with back to back clean sheets.
“The main thing are the points,” he said. “Two big wins, especially here. One of the toughest places to come away and coming out from it with three points and a clean sheet, we are delighted overall.”
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