Courtesy of the wonderful FBREF we’ve used the PSxG minus goals allowed metric to rank the top-flight stoppers. ‘What the f*** is that?’ you might reasonably ask…
Post-shot expected goals is expected goals based on how likely the goalkeeper is to save the shot. When the number of goals they have conceded is subtracted, we are left with the figures below. FBREF explains that positive numbers suggest better luck or an above-average ability to stop shots.
Here’s how the Premier League keepers have performed this season, and at this stage they must have started seven Premier League games.
1) Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham): +5.2He struggles with set-pieces but his shot-stopping is pretty exemplary; ridiculously, he had to make six saves to draw 2-2 with Bournemouth. Such is the lot of a Spurs goalkeeper under Ange Postecoglou.
2) Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace): +3.9Crystal Palace are one of the Premier League’s form teams and Henderson is a key reason. Kept his ninth clean sheet of the season v Ipswich Town and made seven saves.
3) Ederson (Manchester City): +3.7
He’s a lot busier without Rodri. Except when he’s not allowed to play at all. Returned to the Premier League to keep a clean sheet v Ipswich and was then excellent in victory over Chelsea. Somehow back on the bench for the gubbing by Arsenal before returning with an assist and clean sheet against Newcastle before being Liverpooled at home. Kept an impressive clean sheet v Tottenham.
Interestingly, Man City’s goalkeepers have basically been given a very similar task to Manchester United’s Andre Onana. And Ederson has come out looking rather better.
4) Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest): +3.0
One among many incompetent Forest keepers last season but has a 74.2% save percentage this season and 12 clean sheets. Ended a four-clean-sheet run v Liverpool but was brilliant as he conceded just once from a PSxG of 1.9. Conceded five v Bournemouth on a poor, poor day all round. Made five saves to keep a clean sheet in the rout of Brighton and blameless against Fulham. Not so blameless v Newcastle. Was barely tested by a toothless Arsenal for his 11th clean sheet of the season. Or Man City for his 12th.
5) Mads Hermansen (Leicester City): +2.7Only one keeper has ever made more saves in a Premier League game than the 13 Hermansen managed against Arsenal. That was David de Gea against the Gunners in December 2017; the Foxes’ No. 1 was unfortunate that Mikel Arteta’s side are slightly better now. He settled into mid-table of this list through October/November but he made seven saves v West Ham as Leicester returned to winning ways. And then made another five v Brighton.
Returned from injury to find Leicester worse than ever but at least he under-conceded v Chelsea. Whoop.
6) Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham): +2.3
Made eight saves to protect a point v Bournemouth as the old man proved he’s still got what it takes. Was excellent v Brighton, particularly to save a deflected effort from Yasin Ayari, and then made a series of saves v Southampton before being stretchered off with a head injury. Returned to over-concede v Fulham but he was at least on the winning side. He under-conceded v Palace and lost.
7) Kepa (Bournemouth): +2.1
While the actual Chelsea goalkeepers are competing to be the star of the clown show, Kepa has the best save percentage in the Premier League and has – according to the PSxG – saved his team a fair few goals this season.
8) Fraser Forster (Tottenham): +1.5Seen as a huge downgrade from Vicario but his numbers are actually pretty positive. It’s not his fault Tottenham are a sh*tshow.
9) Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool): +1.4
Will surely leave Liverpool this summer unless things change; his numbers have been better than Alisson’s this season. Saved well from Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne to stay clean v Manchester City, but was poor v Newcastle.
10) David Raya (Arsenal): +1.1
Arsenal have the lowest PSxG against them this season so it’s hard for a goalkeeper to truly shine. But these numbers – and 10 clean sheets – show that he is pulling his weight. Had to make five saves v Manchester United as Arsenal were sloppy.
11) Andre Onana (Manchester United): +1.1We have consistently defended him but he was rotten against Ipswich; he will surely be upgraded in the summer.
12) Mark Flekken (Brentford): +1.1
Consistently one of the worst goalkeepers on this metric last season, no keeper has made more saves than Flekken this season.
13) Martin Dubravka (Newcastle United): +0.9Kept five clean sheets in nine games at one point. Even shipping four goals v Bournemouth did him no harm because the PSxG for the game was 4.1. But Manchester City’s four goals came from a PSxG of 2.8 which hurt.
14) Robert Sanchez (Chelsea): +0.9
Has the second best save percentage in the Premier League but still gets pelters from pundits. He dropped back-to-back clangers against Wolves and then Man City before himself being dropped by Enzo Maresca. Returned to keep a clean sheet v Leicester but was barely tested.
15) Jordan Pickford (Everton): +0.6
Played excellently v Manchester City and Bournemouth to edge into the black after being exposed by Nottingham Forest (and his manager). Kept an eighth clean sheet of the season at Brighton and then a ninth v Leicester when he could frankly have had a fag. Slipped down this table after conceding twice v Manchester United from a PSxG of just 0.3.
16f) Nick Pope (Newcastle): -0.2Returned from injury v Nottingham Forest and conceded at least one more goal than he should. And then repeated the trick v Liverpool.
17) Alisson (Liverpool): -0.3
His save percentage is the lowest of his career this season; he’s lucky that he has not been tested a great deal as that Liverpool defence is the best in the Premier League. Was brilliant v PSG and then poor v Southampton.
18) Arijanet Muric (Ipswich Town): -1.6
Was very poor in the 4-0 defeat to Newcastle United, taking him into the black for the first time this season. Then dropped after the Arsenal defeat in which he was much better. Recalled v Southampton and Ipswich somehow lost 2-1. Alex Palmer is the captain now.
19) Stefan Ortega (Manchester City): -1.6
Relegated to the bench again after the 2-2 draw with Brentford. Recalled v Arsenal and the 5-1 battering does not reflect well on his numbers.
20) Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa): -1.7
Not the sort of player you expect to see down here, but the truth is that Aaron Ramdsale is the only Premier League goalkeeper to concede more often this season.
21) Bart Verbruggen (Brighton): -2.1
Faced nine shots on target from Nottingham Forest to really give his numbers a battering.
22) Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton): -2.7
Was supposed to make a big difference to Southampton; has apparently not made a big difference to Southampton.
23) Sam Johnstone (Wolves): -3.0
Seven Premier League games. No clean sheets.
24) Bernd Leno (Fulham): -3.0His save percentage has dropped from 72% to 67.9% this season.
25) Alphonse Areola (West Ham): -3.4
Worst save percentage in the Premier League. But he was excellent v Arsenal and Newcastle.
26) Jose Sa (Wolves): -4.5
Doing just about enough to help keep Wolves out of relegation bother.