Aaron Ramsdale, the Arsenal goalkeeper, found himself under scrutiny after Jamie Carragher, a Liverpool legend and football pundit, labeled his reaction to David Raya’s remarkable save during the north London derby as “fake.” Raya, who had recently taken Ramsdale’s place in the starting lineup, made an exceptional save that had Ramsdale applauding and cheering from the bench.
Carragher, on Sky Sports, likened Ramsdale’s reaction to someone graciously clapping for another person who won an Oscar. He implied that Ramsdale might be devastated for losing his starting position and was putting on a facade. In response, Ramsdale’s father, Nick Ramsdale, expressed his disappointment in Carragher’s comments on Twitter, defending his son’s genuine response to his teammate’s save.
Aaron Ramsdale subtly responded to Carragher’s criticism through two photos on his Instagram story. These pictures captured moments where Ramsdale celebrated his teammates’ successes, suggesting that his reactions were not out of character and that he wasn’t feigning his enthusiasm during the north London derby.
One image depicted Ramsdale celebrating with teammates at AFC Bournemouth after fellow goalkeeper Mark Travers’ heroic performance in a Carabao Cup win over Forest Green Rovers. The other showcased Ramsdale celebrating Reiss Nelson’s 97th-minute winner for Arsenal against Bournemouth in the previous season. Both instances displayed his authentic enthusiasm for his teammates’ accomplishments.
However, Carragher remained unconvinced of Ramsdale’s chances to regain his position as Arsenal’s starting goalkeeper. He advised Ramsdale to contemplate leaving the club during the January transfer window, considering Raya’s solid position as the No.1 choice. Carragher suggested that if Ramsdale could secure a move in January and Arsenal obtained a favorable transfer fee, it might be a plausible outcome.
