Before taking over at the Etihad, manager Pep Guardiola decided that Joe Hart was not suitable for the team. In contrast, Aaron Ramsdale made over 80 appearances for Mikel Arteta before being dropped from the Spaniard's plans.
It was a cruel decision by Arteta, especially as Ramsdale had just won his fourth England cap. However, the 26-year-old has only made one appearance for the Three Lions since then, in the defeat to Iceland. And he will return to the Emirates this weekend as a Southampton player.
Ramsdale has conceded 10 Premier League goals in four appearances for the Saints since his £25m move in late August. However, a year ago there was plenty of sympathy for Ramsdale amid David Raya’s underwhelming start to life. The Spaniard made some high-profile errors.
There may still be sympathy for Ramsdale, especially given Southampton's potential, and he will certainly be given a warm welcome when he steps out at the Emirates.
But one thing is for sure, there is not a single Arsenal fan who does not believe in Arteta's decision. And that is the kind of decision the best managers make. Now, the Spaniard is fully established in Arteta's squad. In short, replacing Ramsdale with Raya was the right move for the strategist.
Despite not having much action in the 2-0 win over PSG in the Champions League, it was still the second consecutive game Raya has kept a clean sheet in the competition. In particular, the 29-year-old made two fantastic saves in a row in the draw with Atalanta. But that wasn’t even Raya’s best save of the season. His stop to deny Ollie Watkins at Villa Park in August was the highlight.
When he first replaced Ramsdale, most assumed it was because Raya was better with his feet. And while that may have been true, Raya has now established himself as one of the best reflex goalkeepers in the world.
Of course, Raya also benefited greatly from the solid defence that Arteta had built. But conversely, that formidable defence was also boosted by the confidence of having an excellent Raya behind them.
Top coaches make important decisions every day of their careers. But few are as important as choosing who will stand between the sticks.
Guardiola's decision initially looked ill-advised as Claudio Bravo endured a forgettable season. However, Ederson arrived a year later and the rest is history.
Arteta's decision was initially questioned but now Raya is the one inspiring victory for the "Gunners".
