Aaron Ramsdale reveals Arsenal target after perfect start to the new season

Aaron Ramsdale is planning quite the season. Flying high with Arsenal, the England goalkeeper is targeting silverware with club and country as the Gunners prepare for Europa League action and the Three Lions set their sights on the World Cup later this year.

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Back-to-back shutouts on the road at Bournemouth and Crystal Palace contributed to Mikel Arteta’s side’s 100 per cent start after five games and they go to Manchester United on Sunday knowing victory there would send out a statement they are determined to break into the top four, perhaps even beyond.

Ramsdale will look to overcome a knock suffered in the 2-1 win over Aston Villa to play, having become a fans’ favourite since signing from Sheffield United a year ago.

It helped that after the 3-0 win at Bournemouth he refused to say the name of north London rivals Tottenham, referring only to ‘others down the road’ in his post-match interview, with fans seeing him as one of them. He modestly says: ‘It must have just rolled off the tongue!’

Something special is going on at Arsenal. Back in Europe after finishing fifth last season – obviously not the fourth place they had hoped for – Ramsdale wants to bag his first pot with the Gunners, who will be aiming to go at least one better and qualify for the Champions League.

‘The dressing-room targets have been sort of left alone,’ he claims. ‘The cliche is “one game at a time” but it’s a new experience for a lot of us playing in Europe and personally I think that can be a priority for us, to go and win the Europa League.

‘I don’t see why (we can’t), a trophy is a trophy: it’s European football. We came close to the top four last year. That should be a given and a trophy along the way.’

The pain of