{"id":1203159,"date":"2021-05-06T11:04:58","date_gmt":"2021-05-06T10:04:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1203159"},"modified":"2022-09-19T15:08:29","modified_gmt":"2022-09-19T14:08:29","slug":"arsenal-mat-ryan-world-class-bernd-leno","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/arsenal-mat-ryan-world-class-bernd-leno\/","title":{"rendered":"Mat Ryan: Arsenal have two world-class goalkeepers, and I’m one of them"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arsenal goalkeeper Mat Ryan has bracketed himself and Bernd Leno among “world-class” players in his position amid growing competition between the two shot-stoppers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ryan, 29, completed a winter switch to the Emirates on loan from Brighton, whom he had fallen down the pecking order with to Robert Sanchez.<\/p>\n

The Australian was expected to once again play second fiddle to Arsenal’s usual No. 1 Leno, but the occasional clanger from the German has caused Mikel Arteta to rotate between the sticks, gifting Ryan a chance to showcase his worth.<\/p>\n

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READ MORE:<\/span> Arsenal vs Villarreal live stream: Watch the Europa League semi-final online<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

The Brighton loanee started at the weekend in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Newcastle, keeping his first clean sheet in the process, and leading to speculation around Leno’s future.<\/p>\n

Despite taking on a peripheral role at the weekend, Ryan has come out in defence of the under fire gloveman, labelling Leno a “world class” ‘keeper, but going on to place himself in that same category.<\/p>\n

Ryan told\u00a0<\/span>Optus Sport<\/em><\/a>: “Obviously there was a bit of disappointment around how things ended up there at Brighton.<\/p>\n

“Then this move came about and I could understand why people could have drawn the conclusion that \u2018yeah, he\u2019s coming here as a No.2 and wants to take the foot off the pedal, enjoy training and not push so hard\u2019.<\/p>\n

“Anyone that really knows me knows that\u2019s not my style at all. My motivation is to get out on the pitch and perform.<\/p>\n

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“That\u2019s the reason I sacrificed every other aspect of my life, moving away from family and friends to be across here and to be out there on the pitch and represent the club that I\u2019m playing for.<\/p>\n

“Obviously I knew that Arsenal have a great goalkeeper in Bernd, what he\u2019s done in his career is testament to the world-class goalkeeper he is.<\/p>\n

“But at the same time, I have self-belief that I\u2019m also a world-class goalkeeper.”<\/p>\n

Leno: I’m open to everything<\/span><\/h2>\n

There has been a growing discussion about Leno’s future in north London this season, with the former Bayer Leverkusen player recently admitting he would be “open to everything” when discussing his current contract with Arsenal, which expires in two years.<\/p>\n

Speaking last month, Leno said: “Not yet and at the moment it’s not the time to speak about the future.<\/p>\n

“I know that I still have two years left on my contract and I’m also 29.<\/p>\n

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