Arteta makes no promises with out-of-favor Arsenal star for comeback game

The Gunners boss made an admission on Aaron Ramsdale ahead of the goalkeeper’s comeback game in the Premier League.

Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale will start in Saturday’s Premier League game against Brentford.

In a press conference on Friday, Mikel Arteta confirmed Ramsdale’s spot in the starting XI. Yet, the Arsenal manager wouldn’t say if the England international would stay in goal beyond the weekend.

Asked whether an amazing performance and few penalty saves would keep Ramsdale in the line-up for Wednesday’s Champions League game against Lens, Arteta replied: “Hopefully he doesn’t need to stop two penalties and he does have an amazing game.”

Ramsdale, who hasn’t played in the Premier League since September, will replace loan signing David Raya, who is ineligible to face his parent club, Brentford.

Raya has started in goal for each of Arsenal’s eight Premier League matches. Arteta has also favored him in the club’s four Champions League fixtures. Thus, Ramsdale has only played two Carabao Cup games since September 3.

One of the 25-year-old’s games in the Carabao Cup was against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. In that match, he kept a clean sheet, as a Reiss Nelson goal secured victory for the Gunners.

Ramsdale will hope for a similar outcome to prove his worth, with Arsenal expected to pay £27 million to sign Raya permanently in the summer.