In the early stages of the match, Fulham managed to seize an advantage over Arsenal due to errors from Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka.
Merely a minute into the game, Arsenal’s key player Saka made a misjudged pass directly to Fulham’s Andreas Pereira. This blunder granted Pereira an unobstructed path towards the goal. Taking advantage of Ramsdale’s chaotic backpedaling and his compromised positioning, Pereira managed to slot a lackluster shot into the bottom corner of the net.You can watch below
AARON RAMSDALE 😂😂😂😂😂pic.twitter.com/Wh601u0ouc
— 𝐄𝐄 (@ExpertEnzo) August 26, 2023
Aaron Ramsdale was shook. 🥶
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) August 26, 2023
Arsenal: concede after 57 seconds
Manchester United: hold my beer
(via @NBCSportsSoccer) pic.twitter.com/yM8lcWzDwF
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 26, 2023
Saka’s fortunes didn’t improve as he squandered a prime opportunity to level the score in the first half. Leandro Trossard delivered a cross to the back post from the left, finding Saka unmarked. However, Saka’s header struck the ground before sailing over the crossbar.
Despite the errors from both players, Ramsdale, in particular, will likely feel the pressure after conceding the opening goal. Mikel Arteta had brought in David Raya from Brentford earlier in the transfer window to provide competition. Raya arrived on an initial £3 million loan deal with an option to buy for £27 million next summer.
The £27million option will become an obligation depending if certain conditions are met, primarily appearances.
Raya had been an integral part of the Brentford’s side, playing in all 38 of their Premier League matches last term.
Ahead of Raya’s arrival Ramsdale insisted he was ready to fight for his place.
“Bring it on,” Ramsdale told ITV Sport when asked about Raya’s expected arrival.
“Nothing comes easy in football, but you need to move along and need to adapt as well yourself.
“I’ve done it to other people when I’ve moved to clubs, so I’m not going to be thinking that it’s never going to happen to me. If it happens, it happens. We’ll fight and we’ll make each other the best version of ourselves. That’s what the manager is telling us as well.
“I’m sure whoever plays, me, Matt [Turner], whoever comes in… the goalkeeper union, people will laugh at it but it’s a real thing. Your individual disappointment will go away and you put the team first and you put that goalkeeper first.”