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Who’s the best goalkeeper in Premier League history?
With the Golden Glove race as tight as ever, we step back in time to check out the best goalkeepers in Premier League history.
Throughout its 26-year history, the Premier League has been blessed with a marvellous array of goalkeepers.
At present, Manchester United’s David De Gea and Manchester City’s Ederson are arguably the league’s best goalkeepers, having earned significant recognition with fans around the world.
For those of you with a free bet at present, it’s worth putting a punt on the Golden Glove betting market, with four goalies currently separated by just two clean sheets.
Sports betting tips would suggest that De Gea is the favourite, leading the competition with 15 clean sheets.
However, when it comes to the ‘best ever’ goalkeepers, that title is reserved for those with major honours and outstanding individual records.
Here are five of the greatest keepers to don the Premier League… but which of them is the best of all time?
Petr Cech
The only player on our list to still be playing the game is Premier League legend, Petr Cech.
Against Watford this month, Cech clinched his 200th Premier League clean sheet – a remarkable feat that doesn’t look to be broken any time soon.
Cech and West Ham’s Joe Hart, are the joint record holders of the Golden Glove, both winning it on four occasions. This award is given to the keeper with the cleanest sheet across a Premier League season.
Premier League odds suggest that Cech and his teammates will miss out on the Champions League places this season, but they could cap off their season with a Europa League triumph.
David James
Like most goalkeepers, David James was prone to the odd gaffe whilst keeping net for a number of Premier League clubs.
Despite that, there’s no arguing that he is one of the most impressive net guardians of all time.
James retired with 169 Premier League clean sheets, despite playing most of his career at lower league sides.
He played for five Premier League clubs in his time – Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester City and Portsmouth.
James has made the fourth most appearances in Premier League history, behind Frank Lampard, Ryan Giggs and Gareth Barry.
Edwin van der Sar
A player that has won almost every highest honour in the game, former Manchester United and Fulham goalkeeper was one of the classiest goalies.
A player capable of impeccable distribution and pulling off outstanding saves, the Dutchman was an absolute steal when he joined Manchester United for a reported £2 million in 2005.
During his time at the club, he won the Golden Glove in 2009 and broke a Premier League record by not conceding a goal for 1,311 minutes.
In 2009, he also became the oldest player to win a Premier League title. This was just one of the four league titles he won with United.
His performances drew comparisons with United great, Peter Schmeichel.
David Seaman
One of the most successful English goalkeepers in the domestic game, David Seaman was a serial winner during his time with Arsenal, leaving the club in 2004 with three Premier League titles, four FA cups, one League Cup and three Community Shields.
The Yorkshireman’s performances in the Premier League helped him become England’s number one goalkeeper, representing the country at four major tournaments, winning 75 caps in the process.
Seaman was awarded an MBE in 1997 for his services to football.
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel is arguably the greatest ever goalkeeper to adorn UK pitches.
Renowned for his XXXL shirts, outspokenness and imposing play, Schmeichel is mostly remembered for his eight-year spell at Manchester United, which ended in 1999 when they won a historic treble.
He left Old Trafford with 15 major honours and remains the only keeper to win the Premier League Player of the Season award, which he won in 1996.
It arguably took United six years to replace the former Danish international, who later went on to play for Aston Villa, and Manchester City before his retirement in 2003.
With free betting offers available at present, it may be wise to put a punt on his son Kasper’s Leicester side finishing in the top half of the league this season. The Foxes currently sit in eighth place.
So, there they are, arguably the five greatest goalkeepers in Premier league history.
However, with the quality of goalkeeper reaching an incredible standard at present, fans are currently witnessing some of the greatest goalkeeping talents the Premier League has ever seen.
