Raya lands double nomination for Premier League monthly award

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David Raya has been nominated twice for the Premier League's Save of the Month award for September, with both efforts coming during Arsenal's strong start to the new campaign.

The Spaniard's stop to deny Estevao and his penalty save against Sunderland have both made the shortlist, as confirmed by Arsenal Media. It means the Arsenal number one is effectively competing against himself for the monthly prize.

Two saves, two very different tests

The first nomination came from Estevao's strike, with the Brazilian directing the ball towards the top corner before Raya got across to keep it out.

The second was from the penalty spot against Sunderland. Raya's save kept the scoreline goalless, and Arsenal went ahead a few minutes later before going on to take all three points.

Those interventions have become a familiar part of the Raya package since he arrived in north London. He has won the Golden Glove in every season he has played as an Arsenal player, an unbroken run that underlines how consistently the Gunners have been protected between the posts.

Momentum carried over from a title-winning year

Last season's shot-stopping contributed to Arsenal ending two decades without a Premier League title, with Raya a constant presence throughout that campaign.

He then joined up with Spain and was part of the squad that won the World Cup, although he served as backup to the first-choice goalkeeper throughout the tournament.

Rather than returning flat after a long summer, Raya has come back in excellent shape. The September nominations are the first piece of individual recognition of the new season, and they arrive with Arsenal maintaining a winning start.

The wider picture at Arsenal

Goalkeeping has quietly become one of the most settled areas of Mikel Arteta's squad. Where Arsenal once cycled through options and debate, Raya has offered continuity, and his record of Golden Gloves speaks to a defensive structure that has been difficult to break down for several seasons running.

Individual saves are only part of that. The value in the Sunderland penalty stop was not just the save itself but the timing — a goalless game that could have turned, followed minutes later by an Arsenal goal at the other end.

Raya is now among the most established goalkeepers in European football, and the fact that two of his September moments were deemed worthy of nomination reflects the level he has set since the campaign began.

Whether he takes the award or not, the early-season signs point to a goalkeeper operating at the standard that helped deliver the title last term. Arsenal will be looking for more of the same as the fixtures continue to stack up.