Kepa Arrizabalaga makes bold claim about boss Andoni Iraola after Arsenal win

Kepa Arrizabalaga – who has played for Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid and Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea – claimed Andoni Iraola was “one of the best coaches in the league” after he guided Bournemouth to a win over Arsenal

On-loan keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga says new Bournemouth messiah Andoni Iraola deserves recognition as one of the best coaches in Europe.

When Iraola replaced Gary O’Neil on the Dorset coast, he was greeted by many neutrals as Andoni Who?

But now a trip to the Vitality Stadium is one of football’s most dangerous booby-traps for big clubs who saunter down to the seaside expecting to feel the sand between their toes.

And Kepa – who has played for Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid and Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea – said: “He’s one of the best coaches in the league, and this is the strongest league, which says a lot about him.

“You have a mix of coaches and a mix of styles in the Premier League, but the team is very much in tune with what the coach wants and we are lucky to have a manager like him.

“I’m very proud to be part of this team and for our people who came to see us play against Arsenal, they can see our spirit and we gave them a beautiful evening.”

Kepa made a critical save to deny Gunners sub Gabriel Martinelli barely a minute before Ryan Christie’s opener for the Cherries to atone for his own mistake.

He added: “When you play teams high in the table like Arsenal, you have to be very good in both boxes.

“You have to take your own chances and defend your own box – from there you can build something and we did that well.”

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