Mannone made his second Premier League appearance against Wigan Athletic on 19 September 2009. He kept a clean sheet in a 4–0 victory for Arsenal. Mannone also kept a clean sheet in a 1–0 win against Fulham at Craven Cottage on 26 September 2009, in which he pulled off many good saves and almost single-handedly kept Arsenal in the game. Mannone said the game was the highlight of his career. He again kept a clean sheet in the 2–0 victory over Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League on 29 September 2009. On 17 October 2009, Mannone was selected as the starting keeper over the previous mainstay, Almunia, who had been overlooked after missing through illness; this was seen as a vote of confidence for Mannone after people had previously questioned his and Almunia's future in the first team.