Arsenal’s defence of their Premier League title begins this Friday evening at the Emirates, hosting promoted Coventry City.

The last time the Gunners won consecutive league championships was way back in the nineteen-thirties and with rivals Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all strengthening over the summer Mikel Arteta’s men will once again have to be consistently elite.

Last season they lost only five matches and, crucially, conceded a mere 27 goals, the lowest tally in the English top-flight since 2022.

Possessing a goalkeeper who regularly accrues clean sheets aids them substantially in this regard and David Raya has certainly proven himself capable of doing that.

The Spanish stopper – a Yashin Trophy nominee last year – has claimed the Premier League Golden Glove award for the last three campaigns running, responsible for 16 shut-outs in 2023/24, 13 in 2024/25, and a lofty 19 last season.

All told, since joining the Gunners in August 2023, Raya has kept clean sheets in 44.8% of his league outings for the reigning champions.

Entering the pantheon

Such impressive solidity has given the 30-year-old the opportunity to make history this term, should he again top his peers for shut-outs. That’s because no keeper has ever before won the Golden Glove merit for four seasons in a row.

Presently, an illustrious quartet of keepers have been crowned the Premier League’s clean-sheet king back-to-back-to-back, Raya joining Joe Hart, Ederson and Pepe Reina in May.  

Can he now go one better and stand alone?

Should he do so, there is another landmark to consider, with the aforementioned Hart and Petr Čech currently the most decorated Golden Glove winners, on four apiece.

If the Arsenal shot-stopper once again defies strikers on a weekly basis this term there is every chance he could share their honour, and in doing so significantly help the Gunners’ cause into the bargain.