Ranked: The top 10 Premier League goalkeepers in 2018/19

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The Premier League is currently host to the two most expensive goalkeepers in the world.

Playing in goal was for so long a thankless task, both in terms of pressure heaped on you but also relative treatment from fans and even owners. No one appreciated goalkeepers and yet there were precious few players as important as them.

Goalies never commanded the biggest fees, despite their importance to a team. But that situation is finally changing with two colossal moves this summer; Liverpool signing Alisson for £65m and then Chelsea snatching up Kepa Arrizabala for £71.6m.

But just how good have these new arrivals been? Where do they fall within the Premier League’s already fine bounty of goalkeepers? We had a look and came up with a list of the top 10 goalkeepers in England’s top flight!

10. Nick Pope

Burnley, 26 years-old

As a former third-placed goalkeeper who has taken advantage of injuries to the more highly-rated players ahead of him to rocket his way into the first-team, the national side and the collective consciousness as a brilliant stopper whose excellence cannot be questioned. Burnley as a whole are struggling this season but none of that is down to Pope.

9. Lukasz Fabianski

West Ham, 33 years-old

Swansea got relegated in 2017/18 but their abysmal record should have been much worse. It sounds weird but Swansea were actually even worse than the horrorshow they ended up being, and the only thing that kept them just bad rather than hideous was Lukasz Fabianski’s excellent displays in goal. The former Arsenal man was picked up by West Ham in one of the smartest deals of the summer and has been an assured presence in goal for the Hammers as they have West Ham’d their way into some degree of consistency. No, really!

8. Rui Patricio

Wolves, 30 years-old

Rui Patricio is genuinely one of the world’s finest goalkeepers. Him turning up at Wolves is a testament to the power of Jorge Mendes. He’s proven he can settle into England quickly and seems to have figured out which language to use to communicate with his multinational defence. He’s proving a commanding presence at the back already.

7. Hugo Lloris

Spurs, 31 years-old

Lloris is coming off his worst season in a while, but conversely also coming off his best-ever summer tournament. Hugo Lloris captained France to World Cup glory in Russia and would have been hoping to bring that calmness under pressure and trophy-winning experience to Spurs. Unfortunately for Hugo, all he seems to have carried over was the error he made in the final. Since rejoining Spurs he’s been busted for drink-driving and gone walkabout into two Champions League games, costing Spurs both times.

6. Kasper Schmeichel

Leicester, 32 years-old

“The son becomes the father, and the father? Well, the son.” Jor-El talking about Superman, or Peter Schmeichel talking about son Kasper? The younger Schmeichel, in addition to winning a Premier League title with Leicester of all teams, has now shone in a World Cup. The Dane helped his country make it to the round of 16 and did a huge amount to help them nearly get further.

5. Jordan Pickford

Everton, 24 years-old

For all of last season, people questioned Everton spending £30 million on Jordan Pickford. An excellent World Cup made everyone realise that this lad is the real deal, and exposed that hesitations were probably more about worries that Everton had ‘Everton’d’ again. Pickford is supreme, a colossal personality and athletic presence in goal.

4. Kepa Arrizabalaga

Chelsea, 24 years-old

The most expensive goalkeeper in the world is not the finished article yet; at 24 he still has a lot to learn. At least, that was supposed to be the case. Turns out, his an incredible skill-set and nerves of steel have allowed him to handle the pressures of being a Maurizio Sarri goalkeeper with consummate ease. Kepa is one hell of a ‘keeper.

3. Ederson

Manchester City, 25 years-old

Brazil’s back-up who could easily be the starter, Ederson was amazing for Manchester City last year as they romped to an incredible 100 point Premier League title. This Brazilian can do it all; from miracle saves on his line to claiming crosses in mid-air to carrying the ball forward and picking out team-mates with pinpoint passes. Ederson is a key part of his side’s defence and their attack, and there are not many goalkeepers who can say that!

2. Alisson

Liverpool, 26 years-old

What a beard! Alisson enters the Premier League a hirsute sensation already, although he was only the world’s most expensive goalkeeper for a month. Just like his compatriot, he can do everything asked of a modern goalkeeper. Whilst he may not be quite as good as Ederson with the ball at his feet, Alisson’s more traditional goalkeeping attributes are perhaps stronger. He’s already embarrassed himself with a Cruyff Turn gone wrong but has otherwise provided a consistent and quality shield behind what was already a strong Liverpool defence.

1. David De Gea

Manchester United, 27 years-old

David De Gea was absolutely out of this world last season. Truly the Messi of goalkeepers, doing utterly impossible things every week. José Mourinho’s much balleyhooed “second season improvement” was basically just De Gea making miracle saves every single week. That gave the impression that United had a good defence and allowed them to win games with a less-than-expansive attack.

Of course, he’s not been anywhere near that level this season. Not that he’s been bad; he’s been good, great at times even – but he’s nowhere near the Doctor Strange in Infinity War unleashing the Images of Ikonn to summon copies of himself that confound opponents. The 2018 World Cup was his Thanos wielding the Soul Stone, shattering that illusion and rendering him just brilliant.

That said, he’s still the best the Premier League has to offer.

The post Ranked: The top 10 Premier League goalkeepers in 2018/19 appeared first on Squawka News.



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