Ranked: All 20 Premier League back-up goalkeepers

The start of this season’s Carabao Cup allows a number of Premier League players that are on the fringes of their teams to be given opportunities to impress.

A lot of those players are goalkeepers, with numerous teams opting to use different glovemen between the sticks in the domestic cup competitions.

Various managers often prefer to use their second choice goalkeepers in matches away from the Premier League but which of this year’s backup options are most likely to perform well when given their chance?

We’ve ranked all 20 of this season’s second choice Premier League goalkeepers.

Anything you’d change to the order? Let us know in the comments section below.

20. Brian Murphy (Cardiff City)

Age: 35

Previous clubs: Manchester City, Swansea, Bohemians, Ipswich, QPR, Portsmouth

Murphy played under Neil Warnock at QPR and is an experienced player who is valued in the dressing room at Cardiff. Neil Etheridge is the current first-choice option for the newly promoted side and was nominated for August’s Premier League Player of the Month award following his penalty heroics against Bournemouth and Newcastle.

19. Ben Hamer (Huddersfield Town)

Age: 30

Previous clubs: Reading, Charlton, Leicester City

Hamer actually started this season as David Wagner’s first choice goalkeeper, but conceded nine goals in his first two matches against Chelsea and Manchester City and picked up an injury in his third match against Cardiff. Denmark goalkeeper Jonas Lossl has since been reinstated as the No. 1 at Huddersfield having played every minute for them in the Premier League last season.

18. David Button (Brighton)

Age: 29

Previous clubs: Tottenham, Charlton, Brentford, Fulham

Button arrived at The Amex Stadium ahead of this season to provide competition for first choice option Mathew Ryan. He started last season as Fulham’s No.1 goalkeeper in the Championship, only to be displaced by Marcus Bettinelli. The Stevenage-born goalkeeper made his competitive debut for the Seagulls in their Carabao Cup defeat to Southampton in August.

17. Artur Boruc (Bournemouth)

Age: 38

Previous clubs: Pogon Siedlce, Legia Warsaw, Celtic, Fiorentina, Southampton

At 38, Boruc is one of the older goalkeepers in the Premier League but is valued at Bournemouth for his experience and professionalism around the club. Asmir Begovic is the current No. 1 for Eddie Howe’s side, but the Cherries still rate Boruc highly enough to have given him a years contract extension over the summer.

16. Karl Darlow (Newcastle United)

Age: 27

Previous clubs: Nottingham Forest

Darlow was highly rated when he arrived on Tyneside in a double deal including current club captain Jamal Lascelles in 2014. He was loaned back to Nottingham Forest for the 2014/15 season and has failed to nail down the No. 1 spot at Newcastle since his return. He is currently back-up to Slovakian goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, who signed for the Magpies on a permanent deal this summer after impressing on loan last season.

15. Maarten Stekelenburg (Everton)

Age: 35

Previous clubs: Ajax, Roma, Fulham

Stekelenburg featured in the 2010 World Cup final for Holland in their 1-0 extra-time loss to Spain. He signed for Everton when Ronald Koeman was in charge in 2016 but has been in and out of the side, struggling with injuries during his time at Goodison Park. The 35-year-old did, however, sign a new two-year deal in July, with Toffees boss Marco Silva happy to have him as second-choice to Jordan Pickford this season.

14. Vicente Guaita (Crystal Palace)

Age: 31

Previous clubs: Valencia, Recreativo (on loan), Getafe

Guaita was the subject of interest from a number of Premier League sides after the expiration of his contract at Getafe in the summer. The Spaniard racked up nearly 180 La Liga appearances during his time with Valencia and Getafe. He is currently behind Wales keeper Wayne Hennessey in the pecking order at Selhurst Park.

13. Angus Gunn (Southampton)

Age: 22

Previous clubs: Manchester City, Norwich City (on loan)

Gunn is one of England’s most highly rated young goalkeepers and, after impressing at hometown Norwich last season, trained with Gareth Southgate’s senior side in the build-up to the World Cup. He left Manchester City in search of first team minutes in the summer, joining Southampton in a deal worth £13.5m. He currently finds himself trying to dislodge Alex McCarthy as the Saints’ No.1, but is expected to be the clubs’ long-term first-choice goalkeeper.

12. Michel Vorm (Tottenham)

Age: 34

Previous clubs: Utrecht, Swansea

Vorm has already featured a lot this season because of an injury to World Cup winner Hugo Lloris. His performances have not inspired much of Spurs’ fanbase, though, with many calling for Paulo Gazzaniga to be used as the second choice option instead.

11. Claudio Bravo (Manchester City)

Age: 35

Previous clubs: Colo-Colo, Real Sociedad, Barcelona

Bravo was a player that definitely needed upgrading on following Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge at the Etihad, but the City boss appreciates the Chilean’s ability with the ball at his feet and his willingness to play out from the back. A valued member of City’s star-studded squad.

10. Adrian (West Ham)

Age: 31

Previous clubs: Real Betis

Adrian has made nearly 150 competitive appearances for the Hammers but finds himself behind Lukasz Fabianski in the pecking order this season. He captained the side in their Carabao Cup second-round victory over AFC Wimbledon in August and will provide strong competition for Fabianski, who arrived from Swansea City in the summer.

9. Willy Caballero (Chelsea)

Age: 36

Previous clubs: Boca Juniors, Elche, Malaga, Manchester City

Caballero was brought in by Antonio Conte on a free transfer in 2017. There are, however, always concerns from Chelsea fans when he is on the pitch. This season he is tasked with helping with the development of Kepa Arrizabalaga, who became the most expensive goalkeeper in the world in August.

8. Heurelho Gomes (Watford)

Age: 37

Previous clubs: Cruzeiro, PSV, Tottenham

Gomes is now getting to an age where he may consider returning to Brazil sooner rather than later, but he was still performing to a high-level before Javi Gracia decided he didn’t want to use him as his first-choice goalkeeper at Watford last season. Ben Foster is now the Hornets’ number one, but Gomes’ experience will be hugely valuable in the dressing room for as long as he’s at the club.

7. Danny Ward (Leicester City)

Age: 25

Previous clubs: Wrexham, Tamworth (on loan), Liverpool, Morcambe (on loan), Aberdeen (on loan), Huddersfield Town  (on loan)

Ward was expected to leave Liverpool in search of first-team minutes this summer, having spent last season behind both Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet in the pecking order at Anfield. He eventually left for Leicester City, a slightly surprising move with Kasper Schmeichel continuing to impress as the No. 1 at the King Power Stadium. Ward saved three penalties in Leicester’s penalty shoot-out win against Wolves on Tuesday night.

6. John Ruddy (Wolves)

Age: 31

Previous clubs: Cambridge United, Everton, Norwich

Ruddy will have felt hard done by when Wolves signed Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio to replace him as No. 1 for this season. The England international played a massive part in Wolves’ promotion last season and was awarded the EFL’s Golden Glove for the most clean sheets. A solid number two option.

5. Tom Heaton (Burnley)

Age: 32

Previous clubs: Manchester United, Cardiff City, Bristol City

Heaton has been thwarted with injuries for the last year at Burnley but there is no doubting his quality when he is fit. He has made three appearances for England to date. At the moment he is playing second fiddle to Joe Hart at Turf Moor, but it will be interesting to see Sean Dyche’s preferred pecking order when he, Hart and Nick Pope are all fully fit.

4. Sergio Romero (Manchester United)

Age: 31

Previous clubs: Racing Club, AZ Alkmaar, Sampdoria

Romero has been a solid servant for United since his arrival at the club in 2015. He was often ridiculed for his performances in an Argentina shirt, but more often than not he has performed well when given his chance at Old Trafford, despite his recent sending off against Derby County.

3. Simon Mignolet (Liverpool)

Age: 30

Previous clubs: Sint-Truiden, Sunderland

Mignolet has come in for criticism for a lot of his performances during his time as first-choice goalkeeper at Liverpool, but as a No. 2, there aren’t many better in the Premier League. The Belgian wanted to leave Anfield in search of first-team football after Alisson’s arrival in the summer, but Reds boss Jürgen Klopp says he has been ‘fantastic’ around the club since accepting he would be staying for the time being.

2. Sergio Rico (Fulham)

Age: 25

Previous clubs: Sevilla

Fulham’s goalkeeper situation is a very interesting one this season. In Rico, former Besiktas goalkeeper Fabri and Marcus Bettinelli, they have three well-respected goalkeepers battling it out for the No.1 spot at Craven Cottage. Rico proved his quality with Sevilla, where he won two Europa League titles. He has also made one appearance for Spain but is yet to feature for Fulham this season.

1. Bernd Leno (Arsenal)

Age: 26

Previous clubs: Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen

Leno has made six appearances for Germany to date and is a player that was highly rated in his homeland for many years. Lots of Arsenal fans would prefer him to be Unai Emery’s first-choice, but Petr Cech has started all six of the Gunners’ Premier League matches so far this season. He is reported to have cost Arsenal around £20m in the summer, with many expecting him to go on to be the clubs’ long-term first-choice goalkeeper.

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