If Mikel Arteta’s side finally end their long wait for a Premier League title, the defining contribution of the campaign may not be a wondergoal, a tactical masterclass or a dramatic late winner. It may simply be David Raya’s right leg against West Ham.

Arsenal’s narrow victory at the London Stadium felt like one of those afternoons champions survive rather than enjoy. The performance was uneven, the midfield balance occasionally looked awkward and West Ham created the sort of chance that usually shifts title races.

But with the score level, Raya produced a huge one-on-one stop to deny Mateus Fernandes and keep Arsenal alive before Leandro Trossard eventually secured a priceless win.

It was the type of intervention that disappears from highlight reels by the following week but lingers in title races forever.

Which is why the conversation around the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award feels slightly misplaced. Bruno Fernandes taking the prize after carrying an erratic Manchester United side through another chaotic season is understandable enough. Equally, Rice has been magnificent and remains the emotional heartbeat of this Arsenal team.

But Raya has arguably been more valuable than either.

Arsenal’s title challenge has been built on defensive control. They do not simply outscore opponents; they suffocate them. Raya is central to that. His shot-stopping has been exceptional, his command of the penalty area has brought calm to high-pressure matches and his distribution remains vital to the way Arteta wants Arsenal to build attacks.

More importantly, he has become relentlessly dependable.

That consistency is often overlooked because goalkeepers are judged differently to outfield players. A midfielder can dominate a game and receive endless praise. A goalkeeper can quietly save his team six or seven points across a season and barely enter the discussion unless he makes a mistake.

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Raya’s biggest achievement this year may actually be the absence of drama. After the debate surrounding his arrival from Brentford two season ago and the scrutiny that came with replacing Aaron Ramsdale, he has responded by becoming one of the most reliable goalkeepers in Europe.

And Arsenal have needed that reliability. Unlike Manchester City at their peak, this Arsenal side do not always overwhelm teams. There have been tight matches, awkward away days and periods where momentum threatened to wobble. Raya has repeatedly ensured those moments did not spiral into damaging results.

The save against West Ham merely crystallised what he has been doing all season.

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There is also a broader point about modern title-winning teams. While attacking stars dominate marketing campaigns and social media clips, championships are still usually built on defensive certainty.

Arsenal’s back line has been outstanding, but elite defences require elite goalkeepers behind them. Raya gives defenders confidence to hold higher positions, play more aggressively and trust that mistakes will not automatically become goals.

Rice has produced bigger moments. Bukayo Saka remains Arsenal’s most gifted attacker. But across the full length of the season, no player has been more consistently important than Raya.

If Arsenal finish the job over the coming weeks, there will be endless celebrations of Arteta’s rebuild and Rice’s leadership. Yet the quieter truth may be that their title was secured by a goalkeeper who spent the season making the difficult parts of football look routine.

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