10 goalkeepers with most penalty saves in Premier League history
The Premier League has been graced by many top goalkeepers over the years. Many of these custodians have played key roles in title-winning teams. Two such current goalkeepers are Liverpool's Alisson and Manchester City's Ederson.
While they are fine custodians in their own right, they are not among the top penalty savers in Premier League history. That's partly because both their teams have strong defenses that don't concede too many penalties in the first place.
That brings us to what it takes to save a penalty as the goalkeeper has the odds stacked against him to begin with. Considering the speed of the ball coming from 12 yards, the limits of human reaction time mean goalkeepers cannot wait to see the ball off the penalty taker's foot before choosing a direction to dive. But top goalkeepers do save a lot of penalties. How do they do so?
Well, they stand their ground for as late as possible, winning the first mind-game against the penalty taker. Goalline antics can also distract the penalty-taker. But most goalkeepers know which way a penalty taker usually takes his penalty; so they dive (or do not) accordingly.
Penalties in any competition, including the Premier League, can be game-changing moments. But some goalkeepers in the competition have 'perfected' the art of saving penalties better than others. On that note, here's a look at the ten Premier League goalkeepers with the most penalty saves from open play:
Note: All stats are per premierleague.com unless mentioned otherwise.
#10 Brad Friedel - 6
Brad Friedel had a long and illustrious career in the Premier League, playing exactly 450 games in the competition for four different clubs.
The former American international saved six penalties in his nearly two-decade-long career. Friedel is one of a handful of goalscoring Premier League goalkeepers, and is also among a select few to have kept clean sheets in the first three decades of the competition.
He is one of three goalkeepers to save four penalties in a Premier League season (2006-07).
#PL record for penalty saves in a season:
4 - Brad Friedel, Ali Al Habsi, Mark Crossley
@CardiffCityFC's Neil Etheridge is one away from equalling them: preml.ge/rmNpgy https://t.co/dBAcJBStNh
Friedel's last penalty save in the Premier League was off Dean Whitehead in 2007-08.
#9 Manuel Almunia - 6
Manuel Almunia enjoyed a relatively short but fairly decent stint in the Premier League with Arsenal in the 2000s and early 2010s.
The Spaniard played over 100 games in the competition and kept 44 clean sheets. Although he did not win the Premier League title with the club, Almunia made his name at the Emirates with his penalty-stopping exploits. He saved an impressive five of six penalties faced at the stadium.
Manuel Almunia saved five of the six penalties he faced at Emirates Stadium. twitter.com/KMdappe/status…
Almunia saved multiple Premier League penalties in two different seasons. His last penalty save in the competition was off Chris Brunt in 2010-11.
#8 Jussi Jaaskelainen - 7
Jurri Jaaskelainen had a decent decade-and-a-half-long stint in the Premier League in the 2000s and early 2010s.
The Finnish shot-stopper made 436 appearances in the competition for two different clubs, keeping over 100 clean sheets. Most of his shutouts came during his decade-long spell at Bolton Wanderers.
Though he did not win a Premier League title, the tall Finn made a name for himself as a penalty-saver of repute.
To celebrate Jussi Jaaskelainen NOT retiring, let's relive those penalty saves against @Rovers one more time! 😏 The legend lives on! 🇫🇮 👐 🙌 https://t.co/LkhbC6CMzh
Jaaskelainen saved penalties from the likes of Ruud van Nistelrooy and James Milner in the Premier League. His last save from the spot in the competition was off Ashley Young in 2010-11.
#7 Tim Howard - 7
Tim Howard is one of the most legendary non-English goalkeepers in the history of the Premier League.
The American played nearly 400 games in the competition for three different clubs, keeping 132 clean sheets. One of the best goalkeepers not to have won the Premier League, Howard was the epitome of consistency during his stint in the competition, especially with Everton.
Unsurprisingly, he saved a few penalties during his Premier League career too, saving three of them during the 2011-12 season.
PHOTO Tim Howard after saving Benteke's penalty. Of the 6 missed penalties in #BPL this season, two were from Benteke http://t.co/BC91U6Tvmg
Howard saved penalties from the likes of Dirk Kuyt, Sergio Aguero and Christian Benteke in the Premier League. His last save from the spot in the competition was off Daniel Sturridge in 2013-14.