Gary Neville and Roy Keane are the latest pundits to heap praise on Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale just a week after colleague Jamie Carragher also waxed lyrical over the 24-year-old.
Ramsdale has had a stellar season between the sticks for Mikel Arteta's men this term and has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League. Few can honestly say they expected the England international to reach such heights upon his arrival at Arsenal in the summer of 2021 from then-recently relegated Sheffield United.
Neville has held his hands up and admitted as much before Arsenal's 2-2 draw away at West Ham on Sunday, a game that actually saw Ramsdale concede a goal he'll surely think he could have done better with in Jarrod Bowen's equaliser.
It is unlikely that the rare error would have swayed Neville's analysis as he claimed ahead of kick-off: "He’s [Ramsdale] shocked me, him. I thought that was an incredible signing, to lose [Bernd] Leno and to lose [Emiliano] Martinez obviously to [Aston] Villa.
"I’m stunned in the way in which [he’s playing], he’s now pushing Jordan Pickford [for the England No.1 spot] I would imagine very close."
Keane echoed the sentiment of his former Manchester United team-mate, adding: "When you’re a goalkeeper at a big club, it looks like he’s a big personality which is just as important.
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"Obviously he has made mistakes, as you do as a goalkeeper, but it’s the way he’s responded to it. He looks like a really good character, popular figure in the dressing room."
While Ramsdale didn't have his finest afternoon in East London, a week prior he excelled at Anfield as the shot-stopper pulled off all sorts of heroics to keep Liverpool at bay and ensure Arsenal came away with a 2-2 draw.
After that clash, Carragher issued a message similar to Neville's in that he has been left stunned by Ramsdale's fine form, given he also didn't expect the 'keeper to reach such heights ahead of his move to the Gunners.
"Listen, we all say different things at different times and you're proven wrong about managers, players, certain teams," the ex-Anfield ace told Sky Sports.
"I don't think I've ever been more wrong, or certainly this season proven wrong, [than] by Aaron Ramsdale. I watched him at times obviously with different teams where he goes down, you see lots of goals go in, you think, 'Can the keeper do better there?'
"And then when Arsenal bought him I was scratching my head. I'll be honest, I could not believe it when they bought him. But how he's overtaken [Bernd] Leno – he's had to move on – and his position in the England squad now as well."
Arsenal now have just seven games left to play and will need Ramsdale at his absolute best if they are to dethrone Manchester City as Premier League champions.
