Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says it has been uncomfortable dropping Aaron Ramsdale and is yet to decide who will be in goal for Sunday’s north London derby.
Summer signing David Raya has started the last two games, keeping cleaning sheets in both.
The Spaniard, who joined from Brentford, is the favourite to start against Tottenham at Emirates Stadium - but Arteta confessed it has not been easy leaving out Ramsdale.
The England goalkeeper has been Arsenal’s No1 since joining in 2021, however Arteta has now made it clear there is no first-choice.
And asked this morning if he had decided who would play against Spurs, he said: “No I haven’t decided.”
Ramsdale is a popular figure in the Arsenal dressing room, and among supporters, and Arteta explained that makes it hard leaving him out.
“Maybe I look [comfortable] but in your tummy when you have players sitting and you have to announce the line-up, it is one of the hardest things,” said Arteta.
“Players feel valued and happy when they play. And when they don’t it is very difficult. You want them to feel loved and trusted and the way to do it is to play them.
“It is hard, but with other players it is the same. Aaron is an exceptional character, he has got this charisma and this aura around him, and we all know that and I fully understand that.
“I understand that and it is very difficult with every player. And I suffer and I care about every player who is not playing but this is the competition and this is my job to make decisions in the best possible way for the team.
“He (Ramsdale) has been very supportive and really good around the place and that is what I expect from every single player as when you are on the field, there is someone else who is not. So it goes both ways. So far he has been really, really good.”
