goalkeeper

Raya has kept the most clean sheets of any goalkeeper in Europe’s top five leagues, with his 22 across all competitions four clear of Inter’s Yann Sommer.

The former Brentford goalkeeper has become a big presence at Arsenal and is part of the team’s leadership group.

He made a vital save to deny Maxi Araujo early on in Tuesday’s match, tipping a thumping strike on to the crossbar before making three saves late on to keep the tie level before Havertz’s winner.

“It’s something that I’m there for. I’m trying to help the team as much as possible in any single action, not just defending but commanding and on the ball,” Raya told Amazon Prime.

The clean sheet was Raya and Arsenal‘s seventh in the Champions League this season – the most of any goalkeeper and any side in the competition.

“That’s something we’ve worked on a lot. It’s so important for us, those clean sheets make it easier to win games. It showed tonight, scoring in the last minute and keeping that clean sheet decides those type of games,” Raya said.

The goalkeeper’s acrobatic saves are not the only impressive aspect of his game.

Raya is given a lot of responsibility with the ball at his feet and his passing range and decision-making make Arsenal a better attacking side.

“That’s the evolution of the game,” Arteta said. “The keeper in the last few years has changed and evolved rapidly, and the amount of things that we ask him to do, it’s a lot.

“But many positions have very similar situations and demands right now, and the players have to adapt to that.

“Apart from the qualities of David, the courage, the will to do certain things, that’s when you can reach another level.”

But the Gunners boss would not be drawn on if he thought that Raya was the best goalkeeper in the world.

“He’s extraordinary, magnificent, incredible,” Arteta said. “I don’t know the right adjective. We are so happy to have him.”

Raya has 15 clean sheets in 31 Premier League matches this season, the most in the division.

He shared the Golden Glove trophy with Nottingham Forest‘s Matz Sels in 2024-25 – but Arsenal will hope that if Raya lifts that personal accolade again, it will mean they have secured silverware as a team too.

Emery became the quickest Villa manager to 100 wins with victory in France last week.

Villa Park marked the achievement with fans holding up ‘Emery 100’ cards as the teams walked out.

He knows how to get the job done and, with Villa searching for their first trophy in three decades, the end of the drought is in sight.

Villa did what was necessary against Lille, even if the performance still lacked the style, tempo and class they have produced this season.

Those levels remain from their stumble in the Premier League, with just two wins from 10 games, which has added jeopardy, something which did not look likely at the start of the year.

Overhauled by Manchester United, Villa – who host West Ham on Sunday – are lucky to still be in the top five, mainly due to Liverpool and Chelsea’s failings.

But Emery, rightly, continues to ask to be judged after 38 games and where they will be at the end of the season.

Last month he was being asked about being in the title race and on Wednesday he pointed out being in Europe and in the top four was just a dream for the club when he took over three and a half years ago.

In his first press conference the former Arsenal and Paris St-Germain boss stated he came to Birmingham to win trophies and Villa have edged a little closer to that goal.

Emery has now reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League for the eighth time, no other manager has done so more than five times, while Villa have made the quarter-finals of a major European competition in three straight seasons.

“Villa [were] very professional, not outstanding, just doing enough to get to the next round,” Dublin said.

“That’s what they need, but they will have to up their performances if they want to get to the latter stages of the competition.

“I think there is more to come from them. If they do that, they can really surprise a few people.”