David Raya has been shutting out ‘the noise’ at Arsenal all season.
Rest assured, then, it will be exactly the same at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon when one of the most gripping title races reaches its conclusion.
Another clean sheet is the aim for the Premier League’s Golden Glove recipient, who operating behind a brilliantly-resilient Gunners defence has kept 16 already.
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When life gets tough and tense – as will surely happen at some point against Everton today – those superb stats suggest Raya rises to the challenge.
Indeed, you need only look at how he coped with being Mikel Arteta’s shock choice to displace fans’ favourite, Aaron Ramsdale, four games into the campaign to appreciate the Brentford loanee’s steely traits in the face of adversity.
The scrutiny was massively fierce and intense.
Yet the snipers waiting for him to fail have been largely silenced, while the once-sceptical home supporters have come to understand their manager’s ruthless selection process between the posts .
Raya never doubted he could handle the pressure – albeit it has been bumpy at times.
The Spanish international, 28, said: “The situation with Aaron was a big one. He is a great goalie and a great character for the team and fans.
“I knew what was going to happen if I started playing – the noise was going to happen. I had to adapt quickly. It was new team-mates, new standards, new fans.
“The turning point was the mid-season break in Dubai. I had time to reconnect, to take a breather from everything.
“There’ve been lows and a lot of highs. I’ve had to learn from mistakes and understand what we can all do better.
“But I wanted to prove myself in one of the biggest clubs in the world. My head told me I’d have to fight for the spot until I got it – and fight to keep it.
“That’s the way my head works. I think mental strength is one of my biggest strengths. I rarely break down. I’ve shown this during the season.”
That is the attitude Arteta loves and demands – and it is what makes the North Londoners’ revered rearguard such a miserly pillar, allowing free-scoring forwards to flourish.
With 46 of the last 51 points available secured nobody can accuse Arsenal of bottling it this time.
(Image: Getty Images)
Sure, a Manchester City home victory over West Ham will make their result against Sean Dyche’s Merseysiders academic.
But however events unravel, Raya insists the positivity of a titanic ten-month tussle with Pep Guardiola’s holders far outweighs any negativity.
For this is the latest step in Arteta’s N5 revolution – whether the club’s 20-year title drought ends or not.
Raya declared: “It’s progress. We can see how the club and team has developed. They had a fantastic last season. We’re having a fantastic one this season.
“The numbers are there but we’re competing in the best league in the world, against the best teams and players in the world.
“You cannot stop. You have to carry on going and going, hitting and hitting the wall until you crack it.
“We have the right mentality and the right players to go through it.”
As for giving up the Golden Glove award to get his hands on the big trophy?
“Oh yes…without thinking,” was Raya’s rapid response.