Mikel Arteta reveals in-game goalkeeper rotation plan as Arsenal boss defends decision to start David Raya over Aaron Ramsdale against Everton

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta revealed his goalkeeper rotation plan while defending his decision to start David Raya over Aaron Ramsdale at Everton.

WHAT HAPPENED? The Arsenal manager surprisingly picked Raya over Ramsdale during his side's 1-0 win at Goodison Park, which saw Leandro Trossard score a second-half winner. Ramsdale had kept just one clean sheet in the previous four Premier League matches this season and it was speculated before the game that his place may be under threat. Indeed, Raya was given the nod ahead of Ramsdale, fuelling speculation that the Brentford loanee could take over as Arsenal's new No.1.

However, Arteta dismissed those suggestions and pointed out that he had also picked Fabio Vieira over Kai Havertz and even chose to continue with Eddie Nketiah in attack while leaving Gabriel Jesus on the bench.

WHAT THEY SAID: “The same rationale about why Fabio (Vieira) played here or Eddie (Nketiah) or Gabriel Jesus," Arteta told the reporters when quizzed on Ramsdale being dropped.

«I haven’t had a single question on why Gabriel Jesus didn’t start. He has won more trophies than anybody else, including me, in that dressing room. I cannot have two players in each position and not play them. David has tremendous qualities, like Aaron has, like Karl (Hein) has and we have to use them.»

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Arteta also revealed that future he might start rotating his goalkeepers during matches, having failed to show the «courage» to take such a tough calls earlier in his tenure as Arsenal boss.

“I am a really young manager and I have only been in the job for three and a half years and I have few regrets about what we have done. One of them is that on two occasions I felt after 60 minutes and 85 minutes in two games in