{"id":4153,"date":"2026-05-05T10:09:45","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T10:09:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=4153"},"modified":"2026-05-05T10:09:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T10:09:45","slug":"peter-schmeichel-names-arsenal-star-as-player-of-the-season-freddie-ljungberg-disagrees-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=4153","title":{"rendered":"Peter Schmeichel names Arsenal star as player of the season – Freddie Ljungberg disagrees | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Arsenal\u2019s David Raya should be the frontrunner for the PFA Player of the Year prize, says Peter Schmeichel (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel has named Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya as the \u2018outstanding candidate\u2019 to win the PFA Player of the Year award this season.<\/p>\n

Raya is one of only seven players to have played every single minute for their club in the Premier League, starting all 35 matches and producing a string of outstanding performances to help ensure Arsenal have remained a defensive force with this term.<\/p>\n

Given Aaron Ramsdale\u2019s presence between the sticks, eyebrows were raised when the Gunners first signed Raya from Brentford. However, the 30-year-old Spaniard has silenced his initial doubters \u2013 and then some \u2013 over the last three years, establishing himself as one of the finest shot-stoppers in European football.<\/p>\n

After an excellent debut season at the Emirates, Raya was named in the PFA Team of the Year while also picking up the Golden Glove, despite Mikel Arteta\u2019s men finishing second in the English top flight behind Manchester City.<\/p>\n

Raya got his hands on the Golden Glove award for a second time last season \u2013 sharing the award with Nottingham Forest\u2019s Matz Sels \u2013 as the north Londoners again finished runners-up.<\/p>\n

With 17 clean sheets to his name this time around, Raya looks well on course to scoop the prize for a third straight season, with his nearest rival, Gianluigi Donnarumma accumulating just 13 clean sheets with four games remaining of City\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n

When it comes to the PFA Player of the Year, the likes of Declan Rice, Bruno Fernandes and Erling Haaland have all been tipped as possible candidates \u2013 12 months after Mohamed Salah clinched the award for a third time.<\/p>\n

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Raya has kept 17 clean sheets in the Premier League this season (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Spain international has played every minute of Arsenal\u2019s campaign (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But according to Schmeichel, Raya\u2019s extraordinary contribution has been such that he should be considered the clear frontrunner.<\/p>\n

\u2018There\u2019s one outstanding candidate and that\u2019s Arsenal\u2019s goalkeeper David Raya,\u2019 the former Manchester United goalkeeper told Viaplay.<\/p>\n

\u2018If you take him out of Arsenal, Arsenal are nowhere near that first position they\u2019re in now, six points clear of Manchester City (before their draw with Everton).<\/p>\n

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\u2018I can\u2019t remember a goalkeeper who has saved his team that many points as he\u2019s done this season.<\/p>\n

\u2018The narrative is that Arsenal have the best defence and I\u2019m a little bit like, \u201cNo, they concede so many chances\u201d\u2026 they have the best goalkeeper, he\u2019s saving them time and time again.<\/p>\n

\u2018For me, and it\u2019s not just because I was a goalkeeper myself, but I just think he has been the outstanding performer of this Premier League season.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Former Arsenal winger Freddie Ljungberg took a different view to his Viaplay colleague, overlooking Raya and picking out Haaland and Rice as his two leading candidates for the individual prize.<\/p>\n

\u2018I would probably go with Haaland,\u2019 Ljungberg \u2013 who won the award in 2001\/02 \u2013 said.<\/p>\n

\u2018In the end this season, he\u2019s scored really important goals. Of course not as many as he\u2019s scored in the past, but he\u2019s still scored a lot.<\/p>\n

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Haaland and Rice should be the leading candidates, says Ljungberg (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Maybe I would say Declan Rice if Arsenal wins it but I think that award should go to someone who wins the league<\/p>\n

\u2018He does important goals for them and now I feel he has more of a leadership role, he\u2019s more involved in terms of talking to players and stuff than just scoring goals.\u2019<\/p>\n

Arsenal\u2019s players would no doubt have been watching on with interest as their title rivals City dropped points in a thriller with Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday evening.<\/p>\n

The Toffees had looked on course for a stunning victory after coming from behind to take a 3-1 lead with nine minutes remaining, as Thierno Barry struck twice either side of Jake O\u2019Brien\u2019s thumping header.<\/p>\n

Pep Guardiola\u2019s men dug deep and rescued a point from the contest, though, with Haaland finishing superbly before Jeremy Doku scored his second of the night in the seventh minute of stoppage time.<\/p>\n

City still have a game in hand over Arsenal, but Monday\u2019s result puts Arteta\u2019s side in the driving seat with a five-point advantage at the top ahead of their trip to West Ham this weekend.<\/p>\n

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Should David Raya be named PFA Player of the Year?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: \u2018That\u2019s a shame\u2019 \u2013 Peter Schmeichel says Man Utd are making \u00a338m transfer mistake<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Man City fan caught with Arsenal bottle in his pocket during Everton draw<\/span><\/p>\n

Arrow<\/title>\n<\/svg>MORE: Wayne Rooney makes Arsenal prediction after Man City draw with Everton<\/span><\/p>\n
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