Micah Richards says Courtois and Alisson still edge Arsenal’s Raya

David Raya has been nothing short of a revelation for Mikel Arteta since bumping Aaron Ramsdale to the bench, but Micah Richards has nailed his colours to the mast: the Spaniard isn’t quite top of the tree yet.

Richards’ verdict: respect for Raya, but two still stand taller

Speaking on The Rest is Football, Richards offered the kind of straight-talking verdict you expect from a former defender who knows a thing or two about pressure in the box. He lauded Raya’s rise at Arsenal, but declared Thibaut Courtois the best goalkeeper on the planet and Alisson Becker the standout in the Premier League. In Richards’ view, Courtois is the global gold standard and Alisson the division’s benchmark — Raya’s closing fast, but not there yet.

Why the fuss? Just look at Raya’s numbers

Raya’s form since making his Brentford loan permanent in 2023 has been superb. A key stat doing the rounds: he’s the fastest goalkeeper in Arsenal’s history to 50 clean sheets, chalking them up in just 110 matches. This season he’s conceded only five goals in 15 appearances across all competitions, with 11 clean sheets to his name — an eight-match shutout streak only snapped by a wild 2-2 draw with Sunderland. That’s elite-level consistency, any way you slice it.

Context matters: the platform in front of him

Richards also nodded to the cast-iron platform Arsenal provide. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães are a centre-back duo any keeper would dream of, with Cristian Mosquera waiting his turn. Out wide, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori add balance and bite, while the versatile Myles Lewis-Skelly gives Arteta yet another option. With a structure that sound, clean sheets come a touch easier — and that’s part of Richards’ calculus when stacking Raya against the very best.

Courtois and Alisson: the body-of-work argument

Courtois has hoovered up silverware and delivered on the grandest stages for Real Madrid, including multiple Champions League triumphs. Alisson, meanwhile, has been a transformative presence for Liverpool — a title winner domestically and pivotal in their 2018/19 Champions League success. It’s not just their shot-stopping; it’s the authority, the timing in one-v-ones, and the repeated excellence in high-pressure moments.

Raya’s trajectory: the next in line?

None of this is a knock on Raya. Quite the opposite. He’s been calm, commanding and clever with his angles, and he plays with the swagger Arteta’s system demands. If he sustains this level, delivers on the biggest nights and helps haul a title to the Emirates, the conversation shifts very quickly in his favour. For now, Richards’ pecking order is hard to argue with — but the gap’s not a chasm.

If you fancy weighing up Arsenal’s title chances yourself, a browse of the best betting sites will tell you how the markets see it.

The bottom line

Raya’s racking up numbers at a rate that puts him in rare company — 86 goals conceded in 111 Arsenal appearances with 50 clean sheets is top-class by any measure. But as Richards argues, the top seat belongs to Courtois worldwide and to Alisson in the Premier League, at least for now. Raya’s knocking loudly on the door — another month or two like this, and he might just kick it off its hinges.