David Raya's penalty plunge sparks Arsenal debate

The draw kept Arsenal in the hunt for the Premier League title, but it was Raya's technique that stole the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

The Gunners had taken the lead in the 39th minute through Leandro Trossard's sharp finish, only for Everton to claw back level early in the second half.

The Toffees earned a penalty when young Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly tripped winger Jack Harrison in the box. Up stepped Iliman Ndiaye, who calmly waited as Raya leapt to his right before slotting the ball into the opposite corner.

Wright, speaking on Premier League Productions, didn't hold back in his assessment of Raya's dive. "He's taking this massive leap to one side, giving the penalty taker all the time in the world to see where he's going," Wright said.

"I've watched him recently, and he's consistently going the wrong way. His form on penalties is off because he commits so early, two steps to his right before Ndiaye even strikes it. If you're running up, you can see he's already picked his spot."

Raya's tendency to dive prematurely has been a growing concern among Arsenal fans, with Wright adding, "It's worrying me with the penalties we're facing right now. He's handing the advantage to the taker."

On the touchline, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta felt his side were hard done by, insisting they deserved more than a point. "We should've won," Arteta told reporters after the match. "Goodison's a tough place, and Everton are brilliant at direct play and second balls. We didn't concede much, led 1-0, and had big chances, but we didn't finish them off.

"The penalty changed everything, and having seen it 15 times, I don't think it's a pen. If it is, then Everton's O'Brien should've been sent off, and they'd have been down to 10."

Arteta also pointed to missed opportunities late on, saying, "We dominated after that but gave away cheap free-kicks. We had two clear chances to win it and didn't take them. We've got to accept the point."

The draw came as title rivals Liverpool stumbled at Fulham, dropping three points on Sunday, which kept Arsenal within striking distance.

Meanwhile, a recent X update from the club's official account praised Trossard's opener but made no mention of Raya's penalty woes, focusing instead on the team's resilience.

For Arsenal, the focus now shifts to tightening up at the back, and for Raya, it's about proving he can outsmart the next spot-kick taker.