Premier League

GARY NEVILLE has slammed Mikel Arteta’s decision to have two goalkeepers competing for a starting spot.The Arsenal boss added David Raya to his squad earlier this month to provide direct competition for Aaron Ramsdale.
Gary Neville has blasted the decision to sign David RayaCredit: Rex
🗣️ “I’ve never seen it work before, really well”Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher debate Arsenal’s goalkeepers 🧤 pic.twitter.com/NIPHVQG7Qj— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 21, 2023

Raya has signed on an initial £3million loan from Brentford, with an option to make the deal permanent.
However, Neville is not convinced and criticised the decision before the Gunners’ trip to Crystal Palace on Monday night.
“I’ve said this before, I’m not a fan of competition for goalkeepers,” he said on Sky Sports.
“I think you need a clear number one and then a clear number two. That’s my view.
READ MORE ON GARY NEVILLE
“Obviously, I’ve experienced it at United, where we had clear number ones and number twos and we’ve had in some situations two, sort of, equal keepers.”
The former England defender went on to add: “The problem is, you end up with a situation every time a goalkeeper makes a mistake, which they inevitably do, where you say ‘will they play the other guy the next week?’
“Once you do that once, you’ve undermined the situation and you’ve created what I think sometimes is a very difficult situation for everybody in the team.
“You haven’t got stability with your back four, both goalkeepers feel a little bit unnerved, a little but anxious that if they make a mistake they’re out.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
“So I’m interested to see what Mikel Arteta does with it and how he manages it, because I’ve never seen it work before, really well.”
Raya made his Arsenal debut last week in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Luton but was on the bench for the trip to Selhurst Park.
Instead, Ramsdale kept his place in the starting line-up following last weekend’s opening victory at home to Nottingham Forest. More

ARSENAL maintained their 100 per cent start to the season with a gritty 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.The Gunners were forced to wait until the 53rd minute for the breakthrough at Selhurst Park.
Martin Odegaard broke the deadlock for Arsenal at Crystal PalaceCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Eddie Nketiah was brought down by Sam Johnstone after a quick free-kick from Gabriel Martinelli – and Martin Odegaard did the business from the spot.
Arsenal, though, went down to ten men when Takehiro Tomiyasu picked up two soft yellow cards within seven minutes midway through the second half but the Gunners held on for an important and hard-earned three points.
Here’s how SunSport’s Joshua Jones rated Mikel Arteta’s men at Selhurst Park…
Aaron Ramsdale – 6
Still got the nod ahead of new loanee David Raya who took his place on the bench and watched the Englishman kept busy in the opening exchanges with a couple of routine saves and a fair share of touches with his feet.
READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
But he was not really threatened by the Palace attackers, even when he lost Tomiyasu in front of him.
Breathed a huge sigh of relief when he allowed the ball to fall for Tyrick Mitchell in the 95th minute… but the Palace left-back blasted just over the top before Ramsdale made a pivotal late catch.
Thomas Partey – 7
Deployed at right-back again – moving infield when Arsenal had the ball to form a pairing with Declan Rice in front of a back three.
Passing a little sloppy early on then squandered a good chance with his head but grew into the game and produced a sublime ball down the channel for Bukayo Saka to get into the Palace box.
Most read in Football
Nervy moment when Eberechi Eze went down when he left a trailing leg but not enough for a penalty – and the Ghanian got away with waving an imaginary card.
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
Ben White – 7
Kept his place as the right centre-back with Gabriel on the bench and demonstrated his classy ability in both directions.
Very rarely gets flustered and always looks in total control – tonight was no different with Odsonne Edouard not getting a sniff out of the ex-Brighton man.
William Saliba – 6
The main man and leader at the heart of this Arsenal defence and his positioning was perfect to thwart a promising Palace attack.
Then a rare mistake threatened to allow Jordan Ayew in but he made a fantastic sliding recovery tackle and the penalty appeals were ignored.
Defended resolutely with White and sub Gabriel following the red card as Palace pressed for an equaliser, roared on by their passionate supporters – but Saliba and Co stood firm.
Aaron Ramsdale and his defenders kept a crucial clean sheetCredit: Reuters
William Saliba made a superb recovery tackle on Jordan AyewCredit: Getty
Takehiro Tomiyasu saw red for two quickfire yellow cardsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Takehiro Tomiyasu – 4
Jurrien Timber’s injury and Oleksandr Zinchenko’s lack of match fitness meant maybe a chance for Kieran Tierney – but the Scot did not even make the matchday squad as Tomiyasu got the nod. Time over for Tierney?
As for the versatile Japanese defender, a steady enough display at left-back and then sliding into left centre-back at times for the first 60 minutes.
But then it unravelled quicky… he was then booked for taking eight seconds over a throw-in on the hour mark and seven minutes later given his marching orders for a second yellow when Ayew went down – there was no pull on the shirt and that seemed a little harsh in truth but another left-back option unavailable next time out.
Declan Rice – 8
On the pitch, his most notable action in the first half was brilliant sliding in Eddie Nketiah for a glorious chance – off it, he needed medical help to get a contact lens sorted out.
A superb performance in the middle of the park, running the show for large parts from a slightly deeper position but making lots of well-timed runs forward.
It will take a long time and plenty of silverware to repay his £105million price tag – but more showings like this one in South London will certainly go a long way to doing exactly that.
Thomas Partey and Declan Rice linked up to identify a problematic contact lensCredit: Reuters
Rice bossed the midfield and played very well throughoutCredit: Getty
Odegaard slotted his penalty into the bottom cornerCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Martin Odegaard – 7
Kept things ticking over and carried the ball effortlessly through midfield and stung Sam Johnstone’s palm just before the break with a rasping effort from range.
Stepped up from 12 yards and confidently rolled the penalty into the bottom corner with ease, cool finish indeed.
A potential boobytrap successfully navigated – led by their terrific captain for 89 minutes.
Kai Havertz – 7
Made a bright start in the left No8 role, pushing on to try and support Nketiah.
Still finding his feet and his role in this Gunners side, though, and not massively involved, although did flash a nice volley just wide.
Moved into the centre-forward role when Nketiah went off and picked up a yellow for kicking the ball away in injury time.
Bukayo Saka – 5
Tyrick Mitchell knew he was in for a battle from the first whistle with one of the Prem’s top stars – but he was not at his electric best.
Looked a potential threat throughout but did not get the chance to break the deadlock with the England man taken off penalties following misses against West Ham and Barcelona.
Moved across to his original left wing-back position in the closing stages as the Gunners held on with ten men but in the end replaced.
Eddie Nketiah – 7
Looked to have followed up his goal against Forest with a sublime solo run but struck the base of the post – desperately unlucky.
And then really should have buried another glorious chance but dinked over needlessly from six yards.
Showed good pace and intent to win the spot-kick as Johnstone brought him down – had everything in this cracking centre-forward game except a goal.
Eddie Nketiah saw some huge chances go beggingCredit: AFP
Sam Johnstone took down Nketiah for the penaltyCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Gabriel Martinelli – 6
Could, maybe should, have given Arsenal the perfect start inside two minutes but dithered for a fraction too long.
His other key involvement in the first half saw him send a sweetly-struck volley off target as the Brazilian was unusually quiet.
But it was his quick thinking that saw him take a quick free-kick for Nketiah to win the penalty and that appeared to get him going… until he was frustrated to be the one sacrificed after the red card.
SUBS
Gabriel (for Martinelli, 70 mins) – 6
Jorginho (for Nketiah, 79 mins) – 6
Read More on The Sun
Oleksandr Zinchenko (for Odegaard, 89 mins) – N/A
Jakub Kiwior (for Saka, 89 mins) – N/A More

DECLAN RICE left commentators stunned after he went off the pitch to put his CONTACT LENSES in during Arsenal’s clash with Crystal Palace.During the first half at Selhurst Park, the England midfielder, 24, left the field as two members of Arsenal’s medical team attended to him.
Arsenal’s medical team tried to put his contact lenses back in during the gameCredit: Twitter @SkySportsPL

Rice ended up putting them back in himselfCredit: Twitter @SkySportsPL
However, it was not an injury that needed sorting but his contact lenses.
After one of the medical staff attempted to put them in, Rice ended up doing it himself.
But the game continued without him, before he swiftly made his way back onto the field.
And commentators Seb Hutchinson and Alan Smith were surprised at the revelation that Rice wears contacts.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
Smith said: “Oh, he wears contact lenses.”
To which Hutchinson replied: “It’s news to me. I’m not keeping track of which players wear glasses off the pitch.”
He then went on to add: “Well, when he was down on his haunches there was that worry. They’ve lost so many players to injury already this season.”
Following the brief pause, Rice then returned to the field as social media reacted.
Most read in Football
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
One said: “Never knew he had contacts tbf.”
Another added: “Mad that a man with dodgy vision is one of the best midfielders in the Prem.”
While a third responded: “Should’ve gone to Specsavers.”
Rice joined Arsenal from West Ham last month in a deal worth £105million.
He lifted the Community Shield in his first game with the club, before helping them to a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest in their Premier League opener. More

FORMER Brazil star Alexandre Pato has opened up about how he was 24 hours away from LOSING HIS ARM as a child.The forward, 33, was tipped to win the Ballon d’Or and become an all-time great in the early stages of his football career.
Alexandre Pato spent six months at Chelsea in 2016Credit: AFP or Licensors
Pato now plays for MLS club Orlando CityCredit: Rex
But while he played for the likes of AC Milan and Chelsea, he failed to live up to the hype.
Pato has spent the last two years in the MLS with Orlando City following spells in China and Brazil.
However, his football dream could have been scuppered when he was a boy after a freak injury to his arm.
In a piece for The Players’ Tribune, he said: “I had tripped over a chain in a car park and fallen on my left arm. They bandaged me up so heavily, I was half human half mummy.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
“I played a tournament with my arm in a sling. After the cast had come off, my friends and I played this silly game where whoever got up from the sofa would get kicked — unless he managed to run away.
“That was fun until I accidentally sat on the left arm, and the pain got so bad that it reached my legs. 
“The doctor did an X-ray and found a big tumour. He said, ‘He must have surgery now, or we’ll have to amputate’. 
“I was shocked. I was 24 hours away from losing my left arm. But you think my parents could afford the surgery? Pfffffft. We were all like, What do we do now???
Most read in Football
“Well, my dad had to get creative again. He used to film my games. So he took the tapes to the hospital, sent a prayer to the skies, went into the doctor’s office and put on some grainy footage where this grinning kid was running around on a futsal court.
“My dad said, ‘Doc, this is my son. I don’t know how to pay for this, but I just don’t want to see him stop playing’.
“Then I don’t know what happened. Maybe the doctor thought I was good. Maybe he heard the voice of God. The doctor said, ‘Don’t worry, the surgery will be on me’.
“I’m telling you, it was a miracle. I’ll never forget that name: Paulo Roberto Mussi. He gave me a new life.”
Pato also discussed his relationship with legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti – who coached him during his early days at AC Milan between 2007 and 2009.
Pato contributed 27 goals and eight assists in 62 games under the Italian head coach.
And his deep connection with Ancelotti led the AC Milan boss to name his dog after the forward.
Pato, who contributed just one goal in two games for Chelsea back in 2016, added: “Ancelotti became like a father to me. He even named his dog Pato.
Read More on The Sun
“You saw that picture of him on the bus parade in Madrid, with the sunglasses and the cigar? Well, at Milan he’d turn up to training in a helicopter.
“He lived in Parma and his wife knew how to fly one. He’d step out like James Bond. If anyone lived with style, it was Carlo.”  More