When the moment demanded a hero, David Raya delivered. The Arsenal goalkeeper produced a stunning save to deny Matues Fernandes in a one-on-one situation, preserving a vital 1-0 victory over West Ham on Sunday. That single moment of brilliance didn't just secure three precious points for the Gunners—it cemented Raya's place among the Premier League's all-time greats between the posts.
With that clean sheet, Raya has now won the Premier League Golden Glove outright for the third consecutive season, joining an elite club that includes only Pepe Reina and Joe Hart as goalkeepers who have achieved this remarkable three-peat. It's a testament to his consistency and world-class shot-stopping ability.
Since joining Arsenal from Brentford in 2023, the 30-year-old Spaniard has kept 47 clean sheets in 106 league appearances. That impressive 44.3% clean sheet rate now ranks him fifth all-time in Premier League history among goalkeepers with more than 50 appearances for a single club. Remarkably, he sits just a hair behind the legendary Peter Schmeichel, whose 44.4% clean sheet record for Manchester United has long been the gold standard for modern goalkeepers.
Looking further up the list, the company gets even more exclusive. Pepe Reina holds third place with a 47% clean sheet rate, while Edwin van der Sar sits just ahead at second. The Dutchman set a world record during the 2008/09 season with Manchester United, going an incredible 1,311 minutes without conceding a goal across 14 consecutive clean sheets.
At the very top of the mountain stands Petr Cech, who holds the best clean sheet percentage in Premier League history at 48.6% for Chelsea. The Czech legend also owns the record for most clean sheets in a single season (24 in 2004/05) and the all-time career mark of 202 clean sheets in the division.
For Arsenal fans, seeing Raya's name alongside these icons is a reminder that their goalkeeper is building a legacy that could rival the very best. And for any goalkeeper looking to follow in his footsteps, the message is clear: consistency, composure, and a knack for making the big save when it matters most—that's the formula for joining the Premier League's goalkeeping royalty.