Raya says Premier League title has given Arsenal 'extra confidence' to dominate with style

David Raya says winning the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years has given Arsenal a new level of freedom and self-belief, and the Spanish goalkeeper wants the club to build on that foundation rather than rest on it.

Raya, who also claimed the World Cup with Spain during the summer, described the feeling in the dressing room at the end of last season as one of genuine relief — relief that the years of near-misses had finally been put to rest. But he is already looking forward, not back.

“Winning the league after that many years and after those years that you are so close, it gives you that relief and it gives you that extra confidence,” Raya said. “Coming from the three games, especially the Community Shield, winning against Manchester City, the way we played, that gives you extra motivation and extra confidence to play the way we want to play.”

Arsenal were widely criticised last season for a pragmatic, set-piece-heavy style that earned them the nickname ‘Set Piece FC’. Three games into the new campaign, that label already looks outdated. The Gunners have won all three Premier League fixtures and drew widespread praise for their performance against Chelsea, a game they dominated despite conceding inside the opening two minutes when Morgan Rogers fired past Raya after just 77 seconds.

That goal ended Raya’s clean-sheet run and clearly stung the perfectionist keeper. “I think there’s things to improve in that goal,” he said. “I think we had to defend a little bit better, especially right at the start of the game. Disappointed to concede that goal, but the main thing is the reaction that we had after it and the way we played.”

Raya was keen to stress that last season’s achievement, significant as it was, is now firmly in the past. “Last season is gone. That doesn’t matter now. We have to be focused on this season. We want to keep improving, keep being ourselves, keep enjoying playing football, and keep giving happiness to our fans.”

Arsenal now turn their attention to Europe, with a Champions League trip to Napoli on the horizon as Mikel Arteta’s side look to challenge on multiple fronts for the first time with the weight of a title drought finally lifted.