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The Premier League season in 2018/19 would witness some of the best goalkeepers in European football. Amidst the attention and praise that midfielders and forwards garner, goalkeepers have managed to carve out a niche for themselves over the years.
Silently going through their work, these custodians manage to bail their teams out of crunch situations through their concentration and shot-stopping abilities. Here, I list down the five best goalkeepers in the EPL, according to my opinion.
#5 Lukasz Fabianski
Lukasz Fabianski is a 33-year-old goalkeeper who is playing for West Ham United this season onwards. Until last season, Fabianski represented Swansea and registered the second-most number of saves in the Premier League last season. He has a good command over his box, and Fabianski’s reflexes are quite impressive.
The Polish shot-stopper can make successive saves within a short period with continuity, and Fabianski’s robustness enables him to make some astounding saves from the close range. He tried to salvage Swansea’s season last time around with his individual heroics, but it is only fair that the Pole returned to the Premier League with West Ham. With the amount of talent that he possesses, Premier League is the ultimate stage for him to display his abilities.
#4 Hugo Lloris
The current World Cup champion has been a stalwart for Tottenham Hotspur, as his leadership and composed presence at the back have been vital to the major strides that Spurs have taken under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino. However, Lloris is culpable to an occasional error, but he makes up for it with some good performances and the assurance that he provides at the back. Lloris is tall in stature, and maintains a good control over his backline.
The major feature of his game is to come out of his line to thwart dangers, something that many modern goalkeepers refrain from doing. Lloris is fearless with his approach, as he tends to outwit his adversary in 1v1 situations. His reflexes are quick, and hence Lloris is able to make some good saves from inside the box. The Frenchman has been consistently good for Tottenham, and that deserves a special mention too.
#3 Ederson
Ederson is Manchester City’s goalkeeper who was signed from Benfica last summer. He was brought in to replace Claudio Bravo, as the Chilean’s shambolic performances meant that Pep Guardiola demanded a change of goalkeepers straightway. Ederson is a good shot-stopper but his peculiar talent is his ability with the ball at his feet.
The Brazilian is an exceptional distributor of the ball, and usually launches accurate long-balls higher up on the field. He is brave and unfazed to come out of his line and is a sweeper-keeper of sorts. Ederson made rapid strides in the Premier League last season, something that indicates his ability to adapt to a new league with different surroundings. The 24-year-old would only improve in the coming years, but his first season in the EPL was better than many people would have expected.
#2 Alisson
A new addition in the Premier League, Alisson’s exploits in the Premier League warrant him to take the second position in this list. Alisson’s major quality is his positioning, as his intelligent reading of the game means that he positions himself perfectly to avoid any turbulence in crucial moments of the game. He can cover the goalposts with his immense athleticism, as the Brazilian’s long-range saving ability is exceptional.
The 25-year-old can make pinpoint passes to the other half, and his concentration to make crunch saves after a long period is praiseworthy. He was thoroughly impressive for AS Roma last season, and that earned him a move to Liverpool this time around. It remains to be seen whether how Alisson adjusts to the rigors and the nature of the Premier League with his new club.
#1 David de Gea
Undoubtedly, David de Gea has been the best goalkeeper in the Premier League over the last five years. The Spanish shot-stopper arrived at United from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and has only matured and grown in prominence ever since.
The development in his game has been clearly visible, as de Gea’s physical maturity, and understanding of the game has improved massively since his first season in England. De Gea’s shot stopping is commendable, as he is equally brilliant while making both short-range and long-ranged saves.
He is confident while clearing out corners, and despite his generally silent demeanour, De Gea is quite vocal while arranging the backline during set pieces. He won the Golden Glove last season as the Spaniard kept 18 clean sheets in the 37 Premier League matches he played. His mental strength is impressive too, as De Gea has led a fragile defence with aplomb over the past few years.
