KEEPER AARON ENJOYS REAL GLOVE AFFAIR
AARON RAMSDALE showed just why he could be Mikel Arteta’s purchase of the season at £30million.
The Gunners goalkeeper made three superb saves – including one that Peter Schmeichel described on Twitter as the best he’s seen for years – as the great Dane’s son Kasper looked on enviously from the other end.
The younger Schmeichel had already been beaten twice, by Gabriel and Emile Smith Rowe, by the time Ramsdale took centre stage.
He also showed a streak of defiance and intimidation that Manchester United great Schmeichel would have been proud of as he squared up and mouthed off to big Jonny Evans after the Foxes defender had tried to take a chunk out of him.
Some Arsenal fans were a bit sniffy about Ramsdale when Arteta signed him in August, as if shopping at Sheffield United was embarrassingly unfashionable.
Since then, he has kept four clean sheets in seven Premier League games, conceded only four times and is yet to finish on the losing side.
No wonder there was a scramble among the away fans when Ramsdale threw his shirt and gloves into the crowd as Arsenal celebrated.
Reflecting on his incredible double save from James Maddison’s free-kick and Evans’ follow-up, Arteta said: “I don’t know how that happened. It was incredible and in that moment of the game it was crucial.
“We invest money in talent and people who we believe can be great for the future of the club.”
Arteta’s side have now repaired their awful start to the season to go on a seven-game unbeaten run that hints they are capable of threatening the top four.
For Leicester, this was a first defeat in six games in all competitions and boss Brendan Rodgers said: “We lacked concentration, started without aggression and got pinned back.
“You can’t be giving them a two-goal lead – but their keeper did make a brilliant save and then some great blocks.” Arsenal were 2-0 up inside 18 minutes and should have scored four.
Their opener in the fifth minute was a goal of impressive efficiency. Bukayo Saka’s corner was met with a swivelling of the forehead by Gabriel and the ball was suddenly nestled in the far corner.
Saka had already found space around Leicester’s static back f and Pierre-Emerick Aubameya and Thomas Partey were also firing shots that might have increased lead.
A surging run by the impress Nuno Tavares tore Leicester op soon after before Saka did the sam rampaging down the right, link with Alexandre Lacazette, a enabling Smith Rowe to steer a s past Schmeichel for the second.
It was not until the half hour t the hosts seemed to rub the sle from their eyes. Kelechi Iheanac struck a range-finder and th
Maddison’s free-kick was superbly tipped on to the bar by Ramsdale, who blocked the follow up by Evans and the ball rolled along the line.
Leicester found the energy they had lacked and the Gunners keeper had to show he is more than a spectacular athlete. Luke Thomas fired wide, but Ramsdale bravely denied Ademola Lookman and then made an even better save when Harvey Barnes was bearing down on goal.
Had he been beaten, then Arsenal might have succumbed to a late onslaught, but his defiance set a tone that spread.