Premier League's best goalkeepers
We’ve used data from STATS to rank Premier League goalkeepers on their save percentage, which is calculated by working out the number of stops made per goal conceded.
To separate the stand-ins from the regulars, we've limited it to the 26 who have played at least five league games this season. Who comes out on top and where does your favourite team’s custodian rank? There’s only one way to find out…
26. Joe Hart, West Ham (55.9%)
Hart lost his place in the West Ham team earlier in the campaign, with the statistics backing up the impression that the Manchester City loanee was underperforming. The England international made only 1.27 saves per goal conceded in his 14 league outings, which helps to explain why his World Cup place is in doubt.
25. Simon Mignolet, Liverpool (59.3%)
Mignolet is another goalkeeper who started the season between the sticks but has grown accustomed to warming the substitutes' bench. A rate of 1.46 saves per goal persuaded Jurgen Klopp to drop the Belgian for Loris Karius, who's kept only two fewer clean sheets than Mignolet despite playing 810 fewer minutes.
24. Heurelho Gomes, Watford (60.2%)
Gomes is a popular figure at Vicarage Road due to his exploits for Watford since 2014, but he's yet to return to the starting XI after recovering from a back injury. Perhaps that's because the Brazilian has only made 1.51 saves per goal let in this season, while he averages 1.72 goals conceded per 90 minutes.
23. Alex McCarthy, Southampton (60.7%)
McCarthy displaced Fraser Forster in the Southampton starting XI at the end of 2017, but a shut-out against Stoke last weekend was only his second clean sheet in nine matches. Just as Saints are one place above the bottom three, their first-choice goalkeeper is fourth-bottom of this ranking.
22. Jonas Lossl, Huddersfield (61.5%)
Snapped up on a season-long loan from Mainz last summer, Lossl has played every minute of every Premier League game for Huddersfield this term. The Dane has kept seven clean sheets and made 80 saves, but a rate of 1.6 stops per goal conceded is one of the lowest in the top flight.
21. Petr Cech, Arsenal (62%)
Cech apologised for two pivotal mistakes after Arsenal's 2-1 loss to Brighton at the start of March, with the former Chelsea goalkeeper having struggled for large parts of this season. A rate of 1.63 saves per goal conceded is certainly less than you'd expect from someone who was previously one of the foremost goalkeepers in English football.
20. Ben Foster, West Brom (64.4%)
West Brom have endured a miserable campaign and look doomed to demotion after winning just three of their first 29 matches. The Baggies' defensive record is 'only' the seventh worst in the division, though, with Foster having kept seven clean sheets and made 1.81 stops per goal let in.
19. Asmir Begovic, Bournemouth (64.8%)
Bournemouth signed former loanee Begovic from Chelsea last summer, and the Bosnian hasn't missed a single minute in the Premier League since then. The 30-year-old shot-stopper has been kept busy behind a rather leaky backline, pulling off 81 saves at an average of 1.84 per goal conceded.
18. Orestis Karnezis, Watford (65.2%)
Watford brought in Karnezis on a loan deal until the end of the season on the final day of the January transfer window. The Greek has displaced Heurelho Gomes between the posts since then, making 15 saves and conceding eight goals in 571 minutes of action for the Hornets.
17. Jordan Pickford, Everton (66.4%)
Pickford was arguably at fault for Burnley's first goal last Saturday, but he's been afforded little protection by Everton's porous defensive unit for much of the season. Only two goalkeepers have made more saves than the ex-Sunderland glovesman (97), whose save percentage of 66.4 is just below the Premier League average.
16. Wayne Hennessey, Crystal Palace (67%)
Crystal Palace failed to secure a replacement for the departing Steve Mandanda last summer and therefore began the season with Hennessey in goal. The Welshman hasn't always convinced at Selhurst Park, but a rate of 2.03 saves per goal conceded means he ranks higher than 10 of his top-flight rivals.
15. Kasper Schmeichel, Leicester (67.2%)
Leicester's Player of the Year for 2016-17 hasn't been at his best in recent games, with the Dane having failed to keep a clean sheet in his last five games. He’s shut out opposition strikers in seven games this season, however, and made 2.05 stops per goal conceded.
14. Julian Speroni, Crystal Palace (67.4%)
Club icon Speroni returned to Premier League action earlier this campaign, playing 11 games between mid-October and the end of 2017. The long-serving Crystal Palace custodian only managed two shut-outs in that time, but a rate of 2.07 saves per goal conceded is marginally better than team-mate Wayne Hennessey's.
13. Adrian, West Ham (67.6%)
David Moyes made a big call when he dropped Joe Hart for Adrian shortly after assuming control at the London Stadium, but his decision has been vindicated by the Spaniard's subsequent showings. The former Real Betis goalkeeper has saved 2.08 shots for every goal he's let in this campaign.
12. Rob Elliot, Newcastle (67.7%)
Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez has used three different goalkeepers in 2017-18, with Elliot handed the gloves for 16 of the Magpies’ 29 Premier League games. The Irishman has made a total of 44 saves, conceded 21 goals and kept three clean sheets in his 1440 minutes between the sticks.
11. Jack Butland, Stoke (67.8%)
After recovering from a serious ankle injury, Butland has emerged as a strong contender to start in goal for England at the 2018 World Cup. The Stoke shot-stopper has performed well in a struggling side this season, making 99 saves – more than all but one Premier League goalkeeper – at a rate of 2.11 per goal conceded.
10. Thibaut Courtois, Chelsea (67.9%)
Courtois hasn’t been at his best during a difficult recent run of form which has harmed Chelsea’s top-four chances, but he is still among the standout goalkeepers in the English game. The Belgian has pulled off 55 saves and conceded 26 goals in 2017-18, with his record of 13 clean sheets bettered by only one of his peers.
9. Loris Karius, Liverpool (68%)
Karius hasn't completely dispelled the doubts over his suitability to the No.1 role at Anfield this term, but he's certainly made several positive steps in the right direction. The German has looked much more assured in his 10 Premier League appearances in 2017-18, keeping five clean sheets and making an average of 2.13 saves per goal conceded.
8. Fraser Forster, Southampton (69.1%)
Mauricio Pellegrino dropped Forster earlier this season, but the statistics suggest the former Celtic No.1 hasn't performed too badly in 2017-18. Only six shot-stoppers boast a better record than his 2.23 saves per goal conceded, while Forster’s average of 3.35 stops per 90 minutes is higher than the majority of the league’s custodians.
7. Karl Darlow, Newcastle (69.4%)
Darlow has been a substitute more than he’s started in the Premier League this campaign, but his 10 outings between the Newcastle posts have featured two clean sheets and 34 saves. The Magpies glovesman conceded 15 goals in those outings, which means he averages 2.27 interventions per strike let in.
5= Ederson, Manchester City (69.7%)
Ederson’s composure in possession and long-range passing have caught the eye for Pep Guardiola’s swashbuckling Manchester City side, but he’s also impressed at the more traditional goalkeeping duties. The Brazilian has conceded only 20 goals and made 2.3 saves for every strike that’s beaten him.
5= Hugo Lloris, Tottenham (69.7%)
Tottenham have found form at just the right time in the Premier League, with Lloris’ four clean sheets in his team’s last five encounters helping Mauricio Pochettino’s men climb into the top four. The Spurs captain has shut opponents out in 13 games this season, while averaging 2.3 saves per goal conceded.
4. Mat Ryan, Brighton (70.1%)
Brighton have boosted their survival chances in recent weeks, although it’s now eight games without a clean sheet for Chris Hughton’s men. The ever-present Ryan has kept that exact number of shut-outs this season, though, while also averaging 2.34 saves for every goal conceded.
3. Lukasz Fabianski, Swansea (70.6%)
Swansea looked like relegation certainties before Carlos Carvalhal replaced Paul Clement as manager, but some brilliant results since then have seen them climb out of the bottom three. The Swans will also owe a debt of gratitude to Fabianski if they complete their survival mission: the former Arsenal man has made a league-high 101 saves in 2017-18, averaging 2.4 per goal conceded.
2. Nick Pope, Burnley (79.4%)
Pope began the campaign as back-up to Tom Heaton, but his performances as a stand-in were so impressive that he’s now Burnley’s No.1. The former Charlton shot-stopper has kept nine clean sheets in 26 matches this term, making 3.86 saves for every goal conceded to take second spot in this list.
1. David de Gea, Manchester United (81.2%)
De Gea has once again been sensational for Manchester United this season, with a save percentage of 81.2 seeing him top this ranking at a canter. The Spaniard has also kept 15 clean sheets in 2017-18 – more than any other custodian in the Premier League – and made a total of 95 saves.
A stunning save to deny Christian Benteke in Monday’s 3-2 triumph over Crystal Palace was just the latest example of De Gea’s extraordinary shot-stopping ability. Not only is United’s No.1 the best goalkeeper in England, he’s also arguably the greatest in the world.
