Aaron Ramsdale’s shoot-out heroics prove he still has plenty to offer at Arsenal
Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 (Arsenal win 4-1 on penalties)
Aaron Ramsdale had his bearings checked when denying Rodri during Arsenal’s Community Shield shoot-out victory over Manchester City
Arsenal duo Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice show off their Community Shield winners' medals
Kyle Walker celebrates with Manchester City goalscorer Cole Palmer during the Community Shield
Arsenal’s winning penalty scorer Fabio Vieira revels in winning the Community Shield with goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta enjoys the moment of lifting the Community Shield with captain Martin Odegaard
Perhaps David Raya would have saved it. It was a tame penalty, after all.
But Aaron Ramsdale did save it, diving to his right, blocking Julian Alvarez’s lacklustre effort and punching the air, just as he had when Kevin De Bruyne thumped the underside of the bar with his spot-kick.
Whichever, it amounted to a response from Ramsdale.
A seeming success story of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, the goalkeeper signed from relegated Sheffield United, who signed him from relegated Bournemouth, who seemed the spirit animal of a young, hungry side who went on to top the table for 248 days.
And who then, suddenly, brutally, seemed undermined when it emerged Arsenal were bidding for Brentford’s Raya.
But Ramsdale brings character. The sense is that he will not surrender his position without a fight, even if the Gunners do land Raya or another potential No.1. A Community Shield triumph and a third trophy of Arteta’s reign came courtesy of two of his saves.
Arsenal duo Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice show off their Community Shield winners' medals
The first, stopping Phil Foden from doubling Manchester City’s lead, had a hint of fortune; the ball
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