Must-See: Arsenal Goalkeeper's Heroic Save After Thomas Partey’s Penalty Blunder

• David Raya came up clutch for Arsenal, saving the blushes of Thomas Partey in the Champions League
• The Spanish goalkeeper pulled off a stunning double save to deny Atalanta from scoring at the Gewiss Stadium
• His heroics did not only save Partey but also ensured the Gunners secured an undeserved 0-0 against the Italian club

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya delivered an outstanding performance to rescue Thomas Partey during their UEFA Champions League encounter with Atalanta.

Raya, who has been instrumental in Arsenal's Premier League title chase, was once again vital as they began their Champions League journey on Thursday night.

Thomas Partey and a host of Arsenal players swarm David Raya after his goalkeeping heroics. Photo by Marco Luzzani.
Source: UGC

David Raya saves Thomas Partey's blushes

The Spanish shot-stopper's reflexes came into play just six minutes after the restart when he produced a stunning double save to prevent the Italian side from taking the lead, per The Independent.

Raya's heroics followed a clumsy moment from Partey, who had been an ever-present figure in Arsenal’s Premier League outings this season.

The Ghanaian midfielder was caught out of position and, in an attempt to recover, pulled Ederson by the hand with the slightest of touches, resulting in a penalty after a VAR review.

Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui stepped up to take the spot-kick, seemingly poised to break the deadlock.

However, Raya had other plans. Diving to his right, he denied Retegui's penalty attempt, and, as if that wasn't enough, he reacted quickly to parry away the rebound header, keeping Arsenal level and sparing Partey’s blushes.

Partey, Arsenal players react to Raya's save

The relief among the Arsenal players, including Partey, was palpable as Raya's double intervention not only kept Atalanta at bay but also lifted the pressure off the Ghanaian.

How did Partey perform vs Atalanta?

Meanwhile, Partey endured a challenging evening, struggling in defensive transitions.

His 1v1 defending left much to be desired. He appeared off-pace when isolated with ball carriers despite being well-positioned without possession.

The 31-year-old was eventually withdrawn in the 57th minute.

Why is Arsenal playing UCL on Thursday?

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that UEFA had introduced a new scheduling system, designating one week exclusively for each of their club competitions.

During these 'exclusive weeks,' only one cup competition will be held, which clarifies why teams like Arsenal are scheduled to play their matches this Thursday.

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Source: YEN.com.gh