Who was the best goalkeeper in the Premier League in 2023/24?
It’s definitely not Golden Glove winner David Raya; he was barely tested in that Arsenal goal and has come up well short.
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, with the exception of those who have played fewer than five games.
1) Jose Sa (Wolves): +8.9
There was talk that Sa might be on his way last summer after being dropped towards the back end of last season amid criticism from supporters. The Portugal international has dropped some bollocks this season but he still remains firmly in the black. He made 11 saves on the final day at Liverpool and Wolves are very lucky to have him.
2) Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa): +7.2
Kept a first Premier League clean sheet in seven v Wolves as Aston Villa began business time in the top flight with victory. But then failed to make a single save as they stumbled v Brentford. But redeemed himself v Arsenal; the save from Leandro Trossard was phenomenal. After his midweek shoot-out heroics he was again excellent v Bournemouth. Went off injured v Chelsea having been under very little pressure. Never mind the own goal v Liverpool, he made some phenomenal saves to boost his numbers even further. Wisely missed the final-day shoeing from Crystal Palace.
3) Arijanet Muric (Burnley): +6.6
Absolutely should have been in the Burnley net sooner. He has made a brilliant 62 saves in 10 Premier League games. Made eight saves from eight shots on target v Brighton, which sounds good until you realise he made the worst goalkeeper error of the season. But then another 10 saves v Sheffield United and nine v Manchester United. Would the Clarets have survived with Muric in goal all season?
4) Jordan Pickford (Everton): +4.4
Conceded just one goal in five Premier League games from a PSxG of 4.4 before the 2-1 defeat to title-chasing Arsenal. You can mock his short arms all you want, but they are damned effective.
5) Andre Onana (Manchester United): +2.2
Made more saves than any other Premier League goalkeeper this season. For Manchester United. That is mental. He has the best save percentage in the Premier League.
6) Alphonse Areola (West Ham): +2.1
The only Premier League goalkeeper to have saved two penalties this season.
7) Stefan Ortega (Manchester City): +2.0
Man City are unbeaten in the Premier League with the German in goal and he can take some credit for the clean sheet v Nottingham Forest after coming off the bench. And he can take a whole load of credit for the clean sheet at Tottenham.
8) Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham): +2.0
It seems a long time since we were hailing him as the best in the Premier League but he still ended a topsy-turvy season firmly in the black.
9) Caoimhín Kelleher (Liverpool): +1.3
You can see why Liverpool have always been keen to keep hold of Kelleher. And also why he needs to leave.
10) Ederson (Manchester City): +1.2
An underrated part of a brilliant Manchester City machine.
11) Neto (Bournemouth): +1.6
Dropped after the 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa but remains in the black for the season as a whole.
12) Nick Pope (Newcastle): +0.8
Returned for the final game of the season and slightly over-conceded, but it was a sunny, giddy day.
13) Martin Dubravka (Newcastle United): +0.5
There was a suspicion against Manchester United that he goes down too slowly but he has been a decent deputy to the man above him on this list.
14) Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham): -0.2
The 5-0 Fulham defeat was a low but Fabianski has also been introduced at half-time of losses to Manchester United and Newcastle, conceding two and three goals respectively thereafter. But starts v Spurs, Wolves and Fulham have seen some excellent goalkeeping. Not so much v Crystal Palace.
15) Alisson (Liverpool): -0.4
The best goalkeeper in the Premier League last season but he had an absolute ‘mare v Arsenal. Returned from injury to keep the score down v Crystal Palace but over-conceded v Everton. Then his numbers took an absolute battering in that 3-3 draw with Aston Villa.
16) Robert Sánchez (Chelsea): -0.8
Made 13 saves v Brighton and Manchester United to claim back some Brownie points after the nightmare of Newcastle. But missed the last few months of the season.
17) Bernd Leno (Fulham): -2.0
Conceded six goals from eight shots on target v Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest to really hurt his usually very impressive numbers. Two clean sheets v West Ham and Brentford were very welcome, but he then got Man City-ed.
18) Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal): -1.3
The signing of Raya raised eyebrows and while Mikel Arteta spoke of the two keepers competing, Ramsdale will be aware that he was bought in similar circumstances, which led to Leno being dropped during an international break after a poor start. The draw with Fulham, when Andreas Pereira (assisted by Bukayo Saka) made Ramsdale look daft inside the opening minute has hurt the England international most here. He returned to keep a clean sheet v Brentford but only because Raya was ineligible to play. And then dropped a bollock when called upon again.
19) Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace): -2.5
Four clean sheets in seven unbeaten games for Crystal Palace. He has got his confidence back.
20) David Raya (Arsenal): -2.6
Golden Glove winner. But question marks remain.
21) Bart Verbruggen (Brighton): -2.6
Seemed to finally settle into the No. 1 spot at the end of the season but it was a long, tough season for the Seagulls and for the Dutchman.
22) Wes Foderingham (Sheffield United): -3.5
Back in the Blades’ line-up and conceded four goals at Old Trafford. The good news is that he absolutely should have conceded four goals. Conceding eight v Newcastle and Nottingham Forest was less forgivable.
23) Thomas Kaminski (Luton): -3.5
He will not be the reason that Luton have been relegated as he was in the black for much of the season, but then he dropped and dropped as the Hatters sunk.
24) Odysseas Vlachodimos (Nottingham Forest): -4.1
Conceded five from six shots on target at Fulham. Promptly dropped.
25) James Trafford (Burnley): -5.9
Conceded 20 goals in his last seven games – and played roughly as many hospital passes to teammates – as the Clarets have seemingly given up on an unlikely survival mission. Was finally dropped.
26) Matt Turner (Nottingham Forest): -5.9
Pretty much awful this season. A sizeable factor in Forest being involved in a relegation battle.
27) Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace): -6.0
Lost his place to Henderson due to injury, but returned to keep a clean sheet against Burnley after holding Everton at bay for 84 minutes at Goodison Park.
28) Jason Steele (Brighton): -6.3
The goalkeeper situation at Brighton this season has been nothing short of a sh*t-show.
29) Djordje Petrovic (Chelsea): -6.7
Not the answer to Chelsea’s goalkeeping problems.
30) Mark Flekken (Brentford): -7.6
Looks a massive downgrade on (Brentford’s) Raya.
31) Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest): -7.8
Forest really have made an utter mess of their goalkeeping situation this season.
32) Ivo Grbic (Sheffield United): -8.3
Awful. And then dropped.