The Premier League has seen plenty of good goalkeeping talent, but the following players are at the top of the ladder. These are some of the best shot-stoppers to have graced the pitches of England.
A goalkeeper’s job is not easy as one mistake is all it takes to ruin a keeper’s match and in some instances, his career. However, these guys didn’t let the pressure get to them and have performed like true champions. Here is a list of the greatest Premier League keepers of all time:
#1 David Seaman
Arguably one the greatest keeper to have donned English colours, David Seaman was one of the Premier League’s most consistent shot-stoppers in the 90’s and the early 2000’s. Despite having quality defenders like Sol Campbell, Martin Keown, and Tony Adams, Arsenal were saved time and again by the Englishman’s heroics in front of goal. These spectacular performances solidified his position as England’s first-choice keeper, a role which he held for fourteen years.
Arsenal paid £1.3 million to secure his services in 1990. He remained in North London for thirteen years and made a whopping 405 appearances. Seaman was one of the primary reasons for the club’s Premier League and FA Cup doubles in the late 90s. Perhaps, the greatest save of all time was made by Seaman when he spectacularly palmed away a close-range Sheffield United header.
As far as personal accolades are concerned, the Englishman has won it all (well almost!) He was named in the 1996 UEFA Team of the Tournament and was also a part of the 1997 PFA Team of the Year.
#2 Peter Schmeichel
One of the greats to have played the beautiful game, Danish monster Peter Schmeichel earned five Premier League medals and other tournament trophies during his nine-year stay at Old Trafford. The Dane also became the first keeper to score in the Premier League while he was playing for Aston Villa.
Even though he could score a goal or two, his ability to prevent others from scoring made him famous. His outstanding saves bailed United out of jail on many occasions. Famous for his voracious talking skills, the Dane was constantly seen organising his back four and wouldn’t hesitate in giving them a mouthful if they made mistakes.
Schmeichel made 292 league appearances for Manchester United and won five league titles with them. He was also a part of United’s treble in 1999. With 129 appearances for his country, he is Denmark’s highest capped player.
#3 Petr Cech
A relatively unknown talent from the Czech Republic was signed by Chelsea in 2004. An injury to Chelsea’s number one Carlo Cudicini paved way for Petr Cech’s meteoric rise. His spectacular performances in front of goal were one of the main reasons for Chelsea lifting the Premier League trophy that very season.
A life-threatening head injury in 2006 forced Petr to take a year off for recovering. Despite the major setback, he returned stronger and went on to make a total of 333 league appearances for the London club.
During this time, Cech performed brilliantly and was a key member of the team. It is no coincidence that Chelsea was at their best when Cech was making all the saves. The goalie also has kept the most number of clean sheets in the history of the Premier League.
In 2005, Cech managed to spend over thousand Premier League minutes without conceding, a feat which has only been matched by Dutch legend Edwin Van Der Sar. At the age of 34, Cech is still going strong and is one of Arsenal’s key players.
#4 David James
Liverpool’s first ever Premier League goalkeeper, David Benjamin James was known for his mistakes as much as his shot-stopping abilities. During his time at Anfield, the Englishman had a reputation for making silly mistakes. After making 214 league appearances for the Merseyside club, James plied his trade for Aston Villa, West Ham, and Manchester City as well.
His crowning moment as a great goalkeeper came during his time at Portsmouth. During his five-year stay at Hampshire, David moved up in class and solidified his reputation as the country’s best keeper after Seaman’s retirement.
He played 134 times in the league for Pompey and kept innumerable clean sheets in the process. He was the team’s best player and won them points single-handedly. To his credit, he has played more Premier League games than any goalkeeper and also has kept the second most number of clean sheets.
#5 Edwin van der Sar
While many play for the big clubs during their peak, Dutch keeper Edwin van der Sar played his first game for Manchester United at the age of 35. He is one of the most decorated players of all time, having won 25 major trophies in his career.
Edwin was a key member for Fulham and made over 100 league appearances at Craven Cottage. His performances were strong enough to get the attention of Manchester United despite being 35 years old.
His finest moment with Fulham came in his farewell match as he saved two penalties against Aston Villa in a Premier League game. Sir Alex Ferguson described the Dutchman as the greatest keeper United have had since Schmeichel.
Commanding performances in front of goal helped Manchester United lift the Premier League trophy on four occasions during his six-year stint. He famously retired at the club at the tender age of 41!
