Aaron Ramsdale returned to the Emirates Stadium for the first time since joining Southampton from Arsenal in the summer transfer window. The goalkeeper showed visible emotion.
During his return with Southampton, Ramsdale was clearly touched by the warm welcome from Arsenal fans.
As he got ready for the match, Ramsdale, who moved to Southampton for £25 million from the Gunners at the end of the summer transfer window, received an emotional greeting from the home crowd.
He received a warm welcome from the Arsenal fans who arrived early, prompting an emotional reaction from the former player. As the match neared its conclusion, the stadium echoed with his name, and many spectators stayed to give him a standing ovation after Arsenal’s 3-1 victory.
Ramsdale, who had played 89 matches for Arsenal, left to seek more consistent first-team opportunities after being replaced by David Raya in Mikel Arteta’s starting lineup. He expressed that he valued playing time over sitting on the bench, even if it meant joining a team fighting for league competition.
“I wouldn’t have felt as emotionally connected to the success if I were on the bench,” Ramsdale told Football Focus before the match. “My main goal was to play football. As a kid, I wanted to play, not just sit on the sidelines. I feel lucky to have joined Southampton and to be back on the field.”
The Saints’ goalkeeper had a solid first half against his old team, successfully stopping a low shot from Thomas Partey and quickly recovering to deny the rebound. Despite dominating possession and creating several threatening set pieces, Arsenal couldn’t break the deadlock, and the halftime score remained 0-0, according to the Mirror.
