SAVING GRACE OF AARON KEEPS ARTETA SMILING
POTTERIES boy Aaron
Ramsdale refused to crack and proved why he could be Mikel Arteta’s best value acquisition 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 August signing from Sheffield United has kept four clean sheets in seven Premier League games, conceded only four and is yet to be on the losing side.
Reflecting on Ramsdale’s (right) double save from James Maddson’s freekick and Jonny Evans’ follow-up, boss Arteta said: “It was incredible and in that moment of the game it was crucial. But you have to play 50 games a year over maybe 20 years and so he has to continue to do that.”
Arteta’s side have repaired their awful start to the season to go on a seven-game unbeaten run and they cruised into a 2-0 lead inside 18 minutes.
For Leicester, this was a first defeat in six games and boss Brendan Rodgers said: “We lacked concentration, started without aggression and got pinned back.
“If you allow Arsenal to push you back too deep, you give them a chance to connect their game.
“You can’t be giving them a two-goal lead but their keeper did make a brilliant save and then some great blocks.”
Ramsdale wants to be England’s first choice at next year’s World Cup and Arteta added: “When you dream big, anything is possible.”
Arsenal’s 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 (bottom) and the ball was suddenly nestling in the far corner of the net.
Pierre-emerick Aubameyang and Thomas Partey had chances to increase the lead before Saka went on a rampaging run down the right and linked up with Alexandre Lacazette before Emile Smith Rowe steered home the second.
It was not until the half-hour mark that Leicester seemed to rub the sleep from their eyes, Ramsdale tipping Maddison’s free-kick against the bar, blocking Evans’ effort and then seeing the ball roll along the goal-line.
Ramsdale had to show he is more than a spectacular athlete in the second half as he bravely denied Ademola Lookman, then made an even better save when Harvey Barnes was bearing down on goal.
Had Ramsdale been beaten, Arsenal might have succumbed to a late onslaught but his defiance
set a tone that spread.