Top 5 defenders with the best clean sheet record in the Premier League

Nemanja Vidic and John Terry are in the top 5 but neither are top of the listThe Premier League was started in 1992 and it signalled the birth of something that would take the world by storm in the next two decades. It would become the breeding ground for some of the best talents as foreign players increasingly started flocking to England’s shores by the turn of the century.With entertainment the no.1 factor that led to it being branded the best league in the world, the goalscorers always got their due. But in the helter-skelter manner in which the game is played in England, it is a select few defenders who brought a sense of order and calm to proceedings. We look at five legendary defenders who had the best clean sheet record.Note: Only defenders who have played at least 200 matches have been selected. Stats courtesy of Opta.

#5 Sami Hyypia - 39.3%

“One of the best bits of business we’ve done over the years. A steal, a bargain!” These were the words of Ron Yeats – the chief scout who brought Sami Hyypia to Liverpool in 1999 for a meagre £2.6m. After joining his boyhood club, the defender from Finland would spend 10 seasons at Anfield where he won 10 trophies, including two FA Cups, two League Cups and the Champions League title in 2005.

Although there were doubts about his abilities at first, he would soon start to deliver, even being handed the captaincy he shared with Robbie Fowler when Jamie Redknapp was injured.

The armband seemed to hold him back though and he was soon relieved to hand it over to Steven Gerrard. It also coincided with the beginning of a fruitful partnership with Jamie Carragher in central defence – the bedrock of their Champions League success.

The defender was a hero to the Kop, often popping up with crucial goals from set-pieces. At the back, the unmistakable blonde hair and the #4 shirt was a towering figure that led the defensive line regularly. Averaging close to 32 games a season in the Premier League alone, it was no wonder then that he was such a dominant figure for the Reds.