Peter Schmeichel has admitted that he was forced to eat his words regarding Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya

Premier League-winning goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has claimed that Arsenal would not have won the title last season without David Raya. The Spanish shot-stopper has been an evolutionary signing for the Gunners after arriving from Brentford and the great Dane goalkeeper has admitted that he was proved wrong.

Raya kept 19 clean sheets in 37 league appearances last term to win the Golden Glove with Mikel Arteta's side ending the North London clubs' 20-year wait to return to the English summit. The Basque tactician received praise for his bold decision to bring Raya in to compete with Aaron Ramsdale, who had joined Arsenal for a fee rising to £30million from Sheffield United.

Schmeichel revealed that he told the current Arsenal shot-stopper that he was instrumental to their success and has established himself as an imposing Premier League goalkeeper.

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"David Raya has done really well. I was really surprised," he told The Overlap.

"I have to give Mikel Arteta some credit, because when Aaron Ramsdale was playing for Arsenal, I thought he did really well. ‘I liked his aggression, flying out and all of that, so I was surprised they brought another goalkeeper in, and that it was him [Raya].

"But I interviewed him last season when they won the championship, and I said, “Just so you know, if you had not been in that goal, you would have been nowhere near the championship.

"I absolutely mean that, because he came up with all the important saves. In order to win the Premier League, you have to take chances and commit more people going forward.

"As I said before, that means defending with fewer people, and the chances that came from that, he was making big saves at crucial times. One of the things where he has massively improved is coming for crosses.

"And he’s got to the point where, when there’s a chance, you think, “No, he’s going to save it, it’s not going to be a goal. You have that feeling before it happens, and that’s good going."

Arteta hasn't been shy to praise his number one either with Raya coming in for praise for his 'elite mentality'. He said last month: "I don't know - he's been a tremendous signing, there is no question about that. Whether he is the best or not is just an opinion.

"It doesn't matter, we are so happy to have him. He has elevated the team to a different level and now we have to maintain that level.

"I think it's his mentality. David has tremendous quality but he has overcome a lot of difficulties and challenges to reach this point. It wasn't easy at the beginning, he had to dig in and prove himself. Now, he has the right to be one of the best."