BBC Sport journalist Alex Brotherton has revealed what David Raya did straight after Bruno Guimaraes scored his incredible long-range goal against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
While the rest of the squad sprinted toward the corner flag to celebrate the midfielder’s second-half screamer, the Spanish goalkeeper recognized where credit was truly due.
What David Raya did right after Bruno Guimaraes scored
Reporting directly from the press box at the Stadium of Light, BBC Sport journalist Alex Brotherton shared a fascinating touchline detail that unfolded in the immediate aftermath of Arsenal’s opening goal.
“While Bruno Guimaraes and his team-mates celebrated that wonder-strike, David Raya ran over to the sideline and was mobbed by Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff,” Brotherton revealed.
“Without his penalty save, that goal might never happen.”
Raya’s instant dash to the dugout highlighted the shared awareness within the squad: just 121 seconds prior to Guimaraes’ strike, the Spanish shot-stopper had kept Arsenal on level terms with a world-class save.
Diving low to his left, Raya fingertipped Enzo Le Fée’s penalty onto the post, laying the exact foundation for the game-changing counter-attack.
Two minutes before Bruno G scored the winner, David Raya made a clutch penalty stop ?
The definition of clutch. pic.twitter.com/oJHP1zAAHe
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 12, 2026
David Raya won the game for Arsenal with his superb goalkeeping
Raya’s heroics extended far beyond the penalty save, earning him a match-best 9/10 rating as Arsenal secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory on the road.
Late in the second half, with Sunderland pushing aggressively for an equaliser, Raya stepped up once again to deny Nordi Mukiele from close range following a dangerous Granit Xhaka cross.
His commanding presence and game-defining saves ultimately allowed Bukayo Saka to seal the three points with a late penalty of his own, proving why Raya remains pivotal to Arsenal’s title defense.
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