Mikel Arteta challenges Aaron Ramsdale ahead of Arsenal return
Mikel Arteta has urged Aaron Ramsdale to seize his opportunity in what will be a rare start for Arsenal against Brentford.
Number one goalkeeper David Raya is ineligible to face his parent club, meaning Ramsdale will return for his first Premier League appearance since November's meeting with the Bees, in which he kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory.
Ramsdale has played just twice since then — a Europa League draw with PSV Eindhoven in December and January's FA Cup defeat to Liverpool — but Arteta does not expect any rust from the 25-year-old.
«He's fully prepared,» Arteta said of Ramsdale. «He's training every day. He’s desperate to play like the rest of the boys that haven't had that many opportunities. Saturday will be a great opportunity for him.
»He's been brilliant. He's been really supportive and pushing in training every day like I expected. It's a joy to have two top goalkeepers in the team."
The Spaniard added that he still has complete faith in Ramsdale but refused to offer the England international any guarantees of a long-term return to the Arsenal team.
«Not only that he can adapt but he has proven that he can perform really well to what I want and what we want.
»We don't have that kind of conversation with players. Not with Aaron or any other player on the pitch where we say 'play today and you have the opportunity to play next week'. That doesn’t happen.
«One of the toughest things is dealing with the players that don't have the game time they deserve. Not only Aaron, but there are many of those.
»We have an unbelievable group of players. We try to be straight, explain things, be close to them and give them support. Then when they have the opportunity, they want to contribute to the team in the best possible
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