Premier League keepers ranked: New Arsenal man Raya fourth last season behind Leno
We’ve used fancy stats to rank the Premier League keepers and the numbers highlight how brilliant Alisson and Bernd Leno have been. And why Leeds dropped Illan Meslier…
These numbers are from the 22/23 season; for an updated version from the 23/24 season, click here…
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. We’ve included only those goalkeepers with eight or more appearances.
1) Alisson (Liverpool): +10.1
He was comfortably Liverpool’s player of the season.
2) Bernd Leno (Fulham): +9.0
Leno was always too good to sit on Arsenal’s bench and the German has been a very astute purchase for Fulham.
3) Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea): +5.0
Think how much worse last season could have been without Kepa. There is a very strong argument that he was Chelsea’s player of the season.
4) David Raya (Brentford): +5.0
More saves than any other keeper in the Premier League. And now seemingly heading for Arsenal.
5) Jordan Pickford (Everton): +3.0
Was largely excellent for an oft-rotten Everton side, including in that 1-0 win on the final day.
6) Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa): +2.6
Not quite as good as he thinks he is, but he will surely take some pleasure from being so far ahead of Aaron Ramsdale here.
7) Neto (Bournemouth): +1.7
Has done an excellent job to help keep the Cherries in the Premier League.
8) Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace): +1.0
Conceded only 10 goals in nine games as Palace have survived with some ease under Roy Hodgson. Earned his England recall.
9) Vicente Guaita (Crystal Palace): +0.4
Just about in the green and now facing a battle to wrench the gloves from the impressive Sam Johnstone.
10) Nick Pope (Newcastle): +0.3
Pope was one of the signings of last summer for only £10million from Burnley.
11) David de Gea (Manchester United): -0.7
The Golden Glove winner. Which absolutely proves that clean sheets are not an accurate measure of goalkeeper greatness. He has since been released and replaced by Andre Onana.
12) Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham): -1.1
Pretty much exactly the same season as last from the predictable Pole.
13) Jason Steele (Brighton): -1.5
After a strong start upon taking over from Robert Sanchez, Steele struggled to keep pace with the better keepers.
14) Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal): -2.0
Actually ended 21/22 in the green so this was something of a fall from grace for a keeper who did not stand firm in the run-in.
15) Daniel Iversen (Leicester City): -2.1
Better than Danny Ward. But that was a low, low bar.
16) Edouard Mendy (Chelsea): -2.1
Brought back into the team v Nottingham Forest and he was pretty rotten, making exactly zero saves. Has now left Chelsea.
17) Fraser Forster (Tottenham): -2.7
Made literally zero saves at Liverpool. Zero. They lost 4-3. He didn’t fare much better at Villa. And then he was awful v Brentford.
18) Keylor Navas (Nottingham Forest): -2.7
Finally another clean sheet v Arsenal, though they did not test him too severely.
19) Robert Sanchez (Brighton): -2.8
Spanish Bob forced his way into the national team reckoning with his form after becoming the Brighton No.1, but has he really maintained those levels? He lost his Brighton place to Steele and it’s hard to argue that it’s harsh. Still got a move to Chelsea, mind.
20=) Hugo Lloris (Tottenham): -4.1
After 145 caps, for the first time in almost 15 years, France have to think about a future without their No.1. That day is surely coming for Spurs too, even if the 36-year-old has a couple of years remaining on his deal.
20=) Dean Henderson (Nottingham Forest): -4.1
“I didn’t really want the manager to see me in training because I knew he’d probably want to keep me,” said Henderson about United boss Erik ten Hag. The Forest loanee presumably hopes he doesn’t see his stats too.
22) Ederson (Manchester City): -4.7
Ederson remains the ideal goalkeeper for Manchester City but still some way from being the perfect goalkeeper. City play a high line, like Liverpool, but Ederson is rather more rash than his compatriot Alisson when it comes to dealing with one-versus-ones.
23) Danny Ward (Leicester): -5.5
Eventually dropped.
24) Jose Sa (Wolves): -5.8
The leader in this metric in 21/22 had a mare. An absolute mare.
25) Mark Travers (Bournemouth): -6.0
Redeemed himself somewhat when forced back between the sticks on the final day but there’s no doubt that Bournemouth would have been down if Travers had remained in goal.
26) Illan Meslier (Leeds): -12.4
Leeds fans love Meslier, and plenty of other clubs are apparently watching the young Frenchman, but his numbers are dire. In 21/22, he finished with a PSxG of -16.2, and though his defence has been wretched, his recent form has been beyond awful. Not happy about being dropped, according to Sam Allardyce, but he could hardly argue.
27) Gavin Bazunu (Southampton): -16.6
Maybe the Southampton goal is no place for a youngster this season. Bazunu was superb for Portsmouth in League One last year but the step up to the Premier League was a big one for the Republic of Ireland stopper.