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 early stage they must have started five Premier League games.
1) Nick Pope (Newcastle): +3.8
Ranks joint-second for saves, while being singled out as “brilliant” by Pep Guardiola for his part in holding the champions. The Newcastle goalkeeper really should not be this busy. His save percentage is third behind Alisson and Matz Sels.
2) Mads Hermansen (Leicester City): +3.8
Only 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 was a little less busy v Bournemouth, too busy again v Southampton and then actually uncharacteristically poor v Forest.
3) Andre Onana (Manchester United): +3.3
Saved a penalty v Southampton to boost his numbers, and then kept another clean sheet at Crystal Palace. And as bad as Manchester United were against Spurs, he prevented it from being even worse. He is far from United’s biggest problem.
4) Alisson (Liverpool): +2.5
The best goalkeeper on this metric two years ago, and is in the mix again. He has the best save percentage in the Premier League at a smidge over 88%.
5) Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace): +2.4
Very motivated to make a point v Manchester United after their ‘criminal’ decision, but when not fuelled by spite you get two Dwight McNeil goals conceded from a PSxG of 0.6 against Everton. But he was brilliant in almost keeping out Nottingham Forest, then bagged another clean sheet v Spurs.
6) Ederson (Manchester City): +1.7
It’s rare that Ederson is forced into four saves in one Premier League game but he stood up to the challenge of Brentford. He then over-conceded (is that a thing?) v Arsenal but he could do little about Riccardo Calafiori’s peach. He was then brilliant in keeping out Adama Traore v Fulham. A Rodri-less City means a much busier Ederson.
7) Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham): +1.4
He struggles with set-pieces but his shot-stopping is pretty exemplary; he had under-conceded (is that a thing?) in all his Premier League games until that batsh*t game v Brighton. Made five saves v Crystal Palace.
8) Robert Sanchez (Chelsea): +1.2
Back-to-back clean sheets featuring a penalty save v Bournemouth, then partially culpable in a mad game against Brighton. Is behind only Alisson, Matz Sels and Pope in terms of save percentage.
9) Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest): +1.0
One among many incompetent Forest keepers last season but has an 81.8% save percentage this season. He was excellent to safeguard a point v Chelsea and then a clean sheet v Crystal Palace. Was barely tested v Leicester City.
10) Kepa (Bournemouth): +0.8
Currently injured but has acquitted himself well since joining the Cherries on loan, claiming a clean sheet at his fifth attempt.
11) Bart Verbruggen (Brighton): +0.1
Lucky to emerge just about in credit after conceding four goals v Chelsea, though perhaps only one goal was close to his fault. Was then pretty rotten v Tottenham. But then made six saves to keep a clean sheet v Newcastle. He made five saves v Wolves in a 2-2.
12) Arjanet Muric (Ipswich Town): –
A brilliant double save v Brighton earned Ipswich a second point of the season and made Vincent Kompany look even dafter for persevering with James Trafford for so long last season. Conceding 10 goals in three games sounds bad until you realise that he faced 29 shots on target.
13) Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa): -0.3
Not the sort of player you expect to see down here, but it took a rotten Manchester United for him to finally keep a clean sheet. Saved a penalty v Fulham to boost his numbers.
14) Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton): -0.5
Four shots on target v Leicester led to three shots conceded. A 65.2% save percentage will inevitably lead to another relegation.
15) Bernd Leno (Fulham): -1.1
Unusual to see Leno this far down the page, but conceding six goals in two games v Man City and Aston Villa put a big old dent in his numbers. Definitely better v Everton.
16) Sam Johnstone (Wolves): -1.4
Lost his place after the 5-3 mauling by Brentford, though replacement Jose Sa would actually be bottom of this ranking if he had played enough games.
17) David Raya (Arsenal): -1.4
One of the best Premier League goalkeepers of the season so far if you judge on things like number of goals conceded and save percentage; he made nine saves v Man City but stats do not take kindly to Leicester scoring two goals from three shots on target. And then he was rotten v Bournemouth. And did nothing of real note v Liverpool.
18) Mark Flekken (Brentford): -1.9
Consistently one of the worst goalkeepers on this metric last season, no keeper has made more saves than Flekken this season. Unfortunately, nobody has conceded more goals.
19) Jordan Pickford (Everton): -2.1
Back-to-back clean sheets as Everton have recovered their form nudges his numbers close to even, though his save percentage still sits under 60%.
20) Alphonse Areola (West Ham): -3.6
Second-worst save percentage in the Premier League. And conceding four goals from a PSxG of 0.9 is abysmal.
