David Raya says Arsenal are playing with greater confidence after the “relief” of winning the Premier League. The champions continued their perfect start to the defence of their crown with the 2-1 home win against Chelsea on Sunday, making it nine points out of nine.
It was a powerhouse performance coloured by a freedom of expression, which stood in contrast to the nerviness of the final months of last season when the team laboured under a weight of pressure and expectation before they beat Manchester City to the title. That was Arsenal’s first triumph since 2004 and followed three consecutive runners-up finishes.
