David Raya tells Aaron Ramsdale he will have to ‘fight’ to win back his Arsenal No 1 shirt after the Spaniard keeps two clean sheets in two since Mikel Arteta’s ruthless rotation

• Raya received his debut on the weekend against Everton and kept his place 
• England international Ramsdale was hailed as a ‘great leader’ by the Spaniard 
• Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’

Upon exiting the Emirates after a triumphant return to the Champions League, the separate paths taken by goalkeepers David Raya and Aaron Ramsdale almost told a story of its own.

Raya, Mikel Arteta’s chosen one, for now anyway, turned right, towards the waiting press following consecutive clean-sheets in his second start since signing from Brentford. A throng of cameras and lights followed.

Ramsdale, exiting 10 minutes later, turned left, shunning any eyes looking towards his direction.

You could hardly blame him. After being dropped against Everton on Sunday, the expectation was that the England international would return on Wednesday. Besides, if not against PSV, when would he feature?

But for the Spaniard, speaking for the first time as an Arsenal player, he is living the dream and says Ramsdale ‘must fight for the team’ if he returns to the side.

David Raya started for Arsenal for the second consecutive match in their 4-0 victory over PSV

Aaron Ramsdale cut a reserved figure as he left the Emirates after being unseated as No 1

Mikel Arteta plans to frequently rotate keepers this season and could even make substitutions

‘It is a dream come true to play at the highest level so I’m very pleased to make my (Champions League) debut, but the main thing was the result and we got the three points in the end,’ he says.

‘I’ve just been selected the last two games – that is just the choice of the gaffer, not my choice and when Aaron comes in, he will need to also fight for the team and to win games.’

When asked whether starting in the team has come sooner than expected, he replies: ‘Yes, of course, you never know when you’re going to play and that is the hardest thing to do.

‘Making your debut for a club like Arsenal and obviously having Aaron as a team-mate makes it a bit harder for you, but it came quick. You never know when it is going to be and you have to be ready.’

The situation has become a saga in its own right. Arteta has tried to play down the matter, suggesting it is normal to rotate keepers and that he would be open to doing so in a match.

Yet, history shows rotation between the sticks is almost unheard of, and the sensitive nature around the No1 spot.

Chelsea’s Petr Cech said as much in 2015 when Jose Mourinho demoted in him favour of Thibaut Courtois, saying: ‘I’m not happy at all. There was nothing obvious suggesting I wouldn’t be ready to keep my spot. But in a football team, you can only have one goalkeeper playing every week and, unfortunately, that was the way it went.’

The 28-year-old Raya understands the rarity of the scenario.

‘I think it is the first time that two top goalkeepers are in the same team, so that is just part of football now and the gaffer wants two top players for each position and that is what we have to work with,’ he says.

‘I have played the last two games, and now we see what happens on Sunday.’

Arteta’s handling of the situation is a further demonstration of his pure ruthlessness. It could also backfire. Both men know that a clanger or two could suddenly put their place in jeopardy.

On top of silverware expectations this campaign, that is some pressure indeed.

But, according to Raya, his team-mate has been supportive. He is also backing himself to continue pushing for starts in the line-up.

‘He (Aaron) has been great. He is a great team-mate, a leader as well,’ he says.

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Raya praised his team-mate as a ‘great leader’ after the final whistle and urged him to ‘fight’

The 28-year-old won his debut for his new club against Everton as Arsenal broke their six-year duck at the Emirates

‘He is a great lad and a great keeper as well, we are team-mates and that is the main thing.

‘It is something every player has to do (which is) back yourself to get in the team, and that is why I moved to Arsenal.’

On Arteta claiming he would substitute keepers in a game, Raya adds: ‘That is his words, that is his choice as well. He is the gaffer, so we would have to deal with that.’

How Ramsdale privately digests the current situation could be another matter.

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