The Best Goalkeepers in the Premier League 2024

Goalkeepers in the modern era are more rounded players than in the past. The traditional goalkeeper needed only to be tall, strong, agile, good at catching the ball from crosses, and a shot-stopper. However, times have changed as tactics have evolved since the turn of the century. 

The best modern goalkeeper is excellent with their feet and comfortable when passing out from the back. Modern goalkeepers must be quick off their line, especially in the age of the defensive ‘high line’ employed by the best teams in world football. 

Ederson and Alisson Becker, the two best goalkeepers in the world - and certainly during the last five years in the Premier League - only top one of these data metrics. No one would argue that there is a better ‘keeper than the two Brazilians, but only Ederson tops one of these lists. They are the only two in their position to win the Premier League since 2016/17.

 Goalkeeper data does not often reflect the best in the position. Goalies in weak teams face more shots and concede more goals, but they mostly make more saves, which goalkeepers in the top teams will not get the chance to make because their defence and midfield is better. 

SportsBoom breaks down the best goalkeepers in the Premier League based on certain metrics important enough to tangibly rank the shot-stoppers in England’s top flight: Premier League goalkeeper save percentage, most clean sheets, most saves, and goals prevented. The same names crop up on the same lists, just different orders.

Ederson training with Manchester City // Photo: Brad Tutterow // CC BY 2.0 // 

Best Premier League Goalkeeper Save Percentage

André Onana, Manchester United'ssummersigning, led the league in saves(149) and save percentage (73.40%), 0.7% ahead of Everton’s Jordan Pickford. Pickford made 28 saves fewer than United’s error-prone goalkeeper but conceded seven fewer goals across the campaign. Both ‘keepers played all 38 league games; however, Onana conceded 58 goals- the worst by a United goalie since the Premier League’s inception in 1992 – and Pickford conceded 51 goals.

 Arijanet Muric recorded the best save percentage of 79.8 percent from 64 saves made, after coming into Burnley’s team in March. Muric, however, only played 10 matches(900 minutes), half the amount required to qualify for rankings for best Premier League goalkeeper save percentage in 2024. His short time between the sticksis no less impressive.

Premier League Goalkeeper: Clean Sheets

David Raya kept the most clean sheets of the season, but he did not play all 38 games unlike three of the top five goalkeepers of this year’s campaign. Raya made the fewest saves of the to in earning the most clean sheets, but this is down to having played seven games fewer than Bernd Leno, Pickford, and Onana, and Arsenal having the best-ranked defence. 

The Gunners conceded 29 goals in 38 matches, four fewer than Manchester City. It is no surprise Ederson kept double-digit clean sheets. The Brazilian goalkeeper is one of the best Premier League goalkeepers of all time. City (34) conceded the second fewest goals behind Arsenal (29), but Ederson only played 33 matches

Premier League Goalkeeper: Most Saves

Onana (149) led the league in saves, which is surprising considering all his high-profile errors during his debut Premier League campaign. Manchester United shed a record-most 58 goals in a Premier League season with Onana between the posts, yet the Cameroon ‘keeper had the highest save percentage, fifth-most clean sheets, and fifth-best goals prevented ratio.

 Relegated Luton Town goalkeeper Thomas Kamiński is in second place (144). Luton, however, conceded 85 goals, the second-most in the league. Kamiński, who only kept two clean sheets, made a lot of saves but let in a lot of goals. Onana beats him in every respective metric. Alphonso Aréola and Sá would have made more saves had they played a few more matches.

David de Gea, one of the best Premier League goalkeepers, making a save for Manchester United // Image Credits: Nick Potts/PA Sport

Most Goals Prevented by Premier League Goalkeepers

Goals prevented is another excellent way to rate Premier League goalkeepers. Expected Goals on Target (xGOT) Conceded score looks at shots on target and rates them for how much it was expected that they would be goals. Each goalkeeper's xGOT Conceded versus how many goals they let in outlines which ‘keeper did best.

 José Sá was the top performer in this category. Although the Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper conceded 57 goals, he was expected to have conceded 66.45. The Fulham ‘keeper’s positive top score of 9.45 goals prevented was more than one better than second-placed Emiliano Martínez of Aston Villa. Sá also made the fourth-most saves while only playing 35 games. 

Martínez had a score of 8.42, followed by Pickford’s +5.47. Muric scored +7.09, he only played 10 matches, and Burnley was relegated despite his good performances. Pickford and Onana are the top echelons in this department because they faced a lot of shots

Forward Passing Accuracy by Premier League Goalkeepers

Nothing is more modern in football than goalkeeping passing accuracy statistics. It is no surprise Ederson tops the list in this department, or to see Alisson up there with his Brazilian counterpart. 

Ederson made the most accurate forward passes (417) with the best accurate passing percentage (74.73%), 73 more than Guglielmo Vicario at Tottenham Hotspur (344), who also sits fourth in accurate passing percentage (73.65). Vicario, however, is the only ‘keeper in the top five to have played all 38 matches. 

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Bart Verbruggen sits second in forward passing accuracy, but he only qualifies on the list by one game. Had Liverpool’s Alisson played more games, he would have undoubtably been in the top two.