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• David Raya backed himself to be number one at Arsenal

  David Raya insists he always backed himself to become Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper – but admits he does not know if he will start Sunday’s north London derby.

  The Spain international joined the Gunners on loan from Brentford this summer in a switch which, in all likelihood, will be made permanent for £27million next year.

  Raya was signed to compete with Aaron Ramsdale for the gloves and made his Arsenal debut in last weekend’s 1-0 win at Everton, retaining his place in the team for Wednesday’s 4-0 Champions League victory over PSV Eindhoven.

  Arsenal’s decision to recruit the 28-year-old to battle it out with Ramsdale drew criticism and caution from some pundits but manager Mikel Arteta believes he can keep both happy.

  Asked if he had to believe he could oust Ramsdale after the England goalkeeper’s strong showings last season, Raya replied: “Of course, it is something every player has to do – to back yourself to get in the team and that is why I moved to Arsenal and try to do my best for the team when I’m selected.

  “You never know when you’re going to play and that is the hardest thing to do. Making your debut for a club like Arsenal, and obviously having Aaron as a team-mate makes it a bit harder for you, but it came quick but you never know when it is going to be and you have to be ready.

  “It is a dream come true to play at the highest level so I’m very pleased to make my debut, but the main thing was the result and we got the three points in the end, so that is the main thing.”

  Raya will be widely expected to keep his place between the posts for Sunday’s Premier League clash at home to Tottenham, even with Arteta claiming he has considered swapping his goalkeepers during matches let alone rotating between fixtures.

  “I understand that and I think it is the first time that two top goalkeepers are in the same team,” Raya said of the possibility of the goalkeepers being switched.

  “That is just part of football now and the gaffer wants two top players for each position and that is what we have to work with. I have played the last two games and now we see what happens on Sunday.

  “I’ve just been selected the last two games, that is just the choice of the gaffer – that is his choice, not my choice and when Aaron comes in he will need to also fight for the team and to win games.

  “He (Ramsdale) has been great, he is a great team-mate, a leader as well. He is a great lad and a great keeper as well, we are team-mates and that is the main thing. We are team-mates at the end of the day.”

• Bruno Fernandes tells Andre Onana to stop blaming himself for Man Utd defeat

  Bruno Fernandes threw his support behind Andre Onana and told the devastated Manchester United goalkeeper to stop blaming himself for the Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich.

  Having been beaten in three of their first five matches for the first time in the Premier League era, the Red Devils’ return to European football’s top table ended in a 4-3 loss on Wednesday night. Erik ten Hag’s men started the Group A opener surprisingly well at the Allianz Arena, only for summer signing Onana to somehow let a low Leroy Sane shot squirm home.

  The 27-year-old buried his head in the turf and was consoled by team-mates, later saying he “let the team down” and that United “didn’t win today, it’s because of me”.

  “It’s not about Andre,” United skipper Fernandes said. “Andre is a great goalkeeper.

  “He will keep giving us a lot of points, a lot of saves. He hasn’t to take any blame for nothing.

  “We have to take the blame as a team, that we’re going to go through this moment together because we are strong as a team.”

  Onana’s gaffe was swiftly followed by a Serge Gnabry strike, with Harry Kane then scoring a penalty straight after Rasmus Hojlund had pulled one back early in the second half.

  The match came to a hectic conclusion, with Casemiro scoring either side of Mathys Tel’s stoppage-time strike as United showed spirit but ultimately lost for a fourth time in five matches.

  “I think what everyone has to do is to do their own job and look at themselves first,” Fernandes said in the bowels of the Allianz Arena.

  “That’s what I do as a player, not as a captain – as a person and first point.

  “I think everyone does that and I think today it wasn’t the case that not everyone was doing the best for the team or trying to fight for getting the result. I think everyone did that.

  “It’s just the momentum and against big teams, as I said, when you give a lot of chances to them, they’re going to hurt you.

  “Even then they give us some chances and we scored three goals, so I think no-one would expect us to come into Bayern and score three goals.

  “I don’t think anyone outside of us would expect us to fight for the result in trying to get something from the game.

  “But I think the team did. Obviously it wasn’t enough but we’re not playing against some bad team.

  “We were playing one of the best teams in the world, with great players, with great qualities.

  “Obviously it’s not the best moment for us but we will get through this and we will get the results back.”

  United stayed in Germany following the Group A opener and are training before flying back as preparations step up for Saturday evening’s key trip to Burnley.

  Ten Hag will be hoping to have more options to choose from at Turf Moor, having headed to Bayern without nine injured players.

  “Obviously, we want to have everyone back because we know that as many players we have available, the team will be stronger,” Fernandes said. “And obviously more options for the manager to do his choices and whatever his tactics, the first 11 or whatever he picks.

  “But obviously, still, we have the players and we have enough experience and enough talent in the team to get through this moment even with all the players.

  “Obviously now I think some of them probably will come back earlier and will lift the team because we have quality players injured.

  “But it’s about the ones that are now playing, giving something to get the result and that’s it.

  “We can’t rely now on the injuries and everything.

  “We know it’s tough and you need to get through that because you can’t control (it).

  “But I think the team has players (good) enough to get a response.”

• KC, C'Bar blank Camperdown, Charlie Smith in Group A double-header

  Former champions Kingston College and Calabar continued their upward trend in Group A of the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup, as both registered 2-0 and 3-0 victories over Camperdown and Charlie Smith respectively at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Wednesday.

  Both Kingston College and Calabar, who lost their opening contests, have rebounded nicely with these being their second win on the trot in a competitive group that is expected to go down to the wire for the top two positions.

  In the opening contest, Alex Hislop (fourth) and Kelvin Brown (65^th) got the job done for Kingston College over Camperdown, while Javel Watson (20^th), Fitzroy McLeod (79^th) and Kimani Thompson (90+2), were on target for Calabar in the feature encounter.

  With the win, both Calabar and Kingston College moved to six points, along with leader Hydel, who hammered Penwood 10-0 in their fixture. Charlie Smith remains in fourth on three points, with Camperdown and Penwood yet to put a point on the board.

  After Hislop fired Kingston College in front, the tempo of the young North Street-based team dropped significantly but picked up when the game resumed from a short break due to severe weather conditions.

  Kingston College should have added a second from the penalty spot, but Dejuan Green tried to be too fancy and hit the 12-yard kick wide, as the score remained 1-0 at the break.

  The purples continued their dominant show on the resumption and though Camperdown tried to play their game, the failed to really trouble Dominic Robinson in goal for Kingston College.

  Vassell Reynolds’s side eventually added to their tally when Brown waltzed his way around three defenders before finishing a right-footer with aplomb to seal the win.

  Though not impressed, Reynolds welcomed the improved second half display and, by extension, the win.

  “I think we rose to the occasion; it is still a work in progress, but the youngsters are learning very quickly. I am pretty satisfied with how they recovered from the first half. I thought the break helped us really, we were giving away possession of the ball and we lacked the composure in the first half, but they came out and equipped themselves in the second half,” Reynolds said in his post-game assessment.

  His counterpart Lebert Halliman cited indiscipline for his team’s defeat, their second of the season. They also have against Hydel in which they are down 0-5 to be completed.

  “Indiscipline is why I took off my captain because he wasn’t playing his role. But overall, I think the team did well, it’s a young team and a long season, so it’s a learning process for them,” Halliman said.

  The feature contest was much more eventful, as both Charlie Smith and Calabar were evenly matched for the most parts.

  Both displayed individual flair and some colorful plays in patches, but it was Calabar that proved the most clinical in the end.

  The Andrew Price-conditioned Calabar opened the scoring in the 20^th minute when an unmarked Watson, easily headed home at close range from a Jaheim Rankine cross.

  They almost doubled the lead 12 minutes later, as Sheridan Wilson’s stinging right-footed shot from a distance had Deonte Gary, in goal for Charlie Smith beaten, but the effort came back off the crossbar.

  With no changes to the scoreline at the break, Charlie Smith showed more purpose on the resumption in their hunt for the equalizer. However, they not only found themselves with a numerical disadvantage when they lost Gary to straight red in the 61^st minute for stomping on an opponent, but they also found themselves with a two-goal deficit to make up.

  This, as Anthony McDonald’s weighted free kick found McLeod, who made no mistakes.

  And if that wasn’t bad enough, Thompson rubbed salt on an already wounded Charlie Smith with an easy close range finish in time added.

  Wednesday’s results

  Zone A

  Kingston College 2, Camperdown 0

  Charlie Smith 0, Calabar 3

  Penwood 0, Hydel High 10

  Zone B

  Meadowbrook 3, Cumberland 2

  Jamaica College 3, Spanish Town 0

  Zone D

  Excelsior 7, Cedar Grove 1

  Bridgeport 2, Clan Carthy 1

  Zone E

  St Catherine 7, Edith Dalton James 0

  Innswood 2, Holy Trinity 0

  Mona 9, St Mary’s College 1