REVEALED: The Premier League goalkeepers who have prevented the most expected goals this season... as Man United shot stopper Andre Onana ranks ABOVE two rivals - while one title contender finishes 18th!
- Expected goals are often used to measure the attacking performance of a team
- But they can also be used to understand how well a goalkeeper is performing
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The advancement of data science in recent years has allowed football analysts to gather a greater picture of how top teams are performing.
One stat that has been utilised heavily in recent years is expected goals or xG as it is often abbreviated. The new form of statistic is credited to have been introduced in 2012 by Opta's Sam Green, and allows teams to gain a greater understanding of how the chances players are having on goal.
Expected goals measures the quality of each attempt at goal by calculating the likelihood of that chance being scored. For stats boffins among us, it provides an excellent insight into how dangerous a team can be on the attack - but it can also be used conversely to measure how well a team defends.
Equally, it provides an excellent insight into the performance of a goalkeeper, with teams able to look at how many and the type of expected goals a goalkeeper saves to measure their performance. As an example, if a goalkeeper saves a shot with a high expected goal ratio then they've done a very good job.
So, utilising the data from FBref, we've been able to rank the top performing goalkeepers in the league are according to expected goals.
![There have been many fantastic saves so far during the 2023-24 Premier League campaign](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/22/21/82793703-13228773-image-a-11_1711143040403.jpg)
There have been many fantastic saves so far during the 2023-24 Premier League campaign
![The goalkeepers who have kept out the most expected goals this season have been revealed](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/22/21/82793697-13228773-image-a-12_1711143049433.jpg)
The goalkeepers who have kept out the most expected goals this season have been revealed
While other factors play into consideration of whether a keeper has a good game or not, by subtracting the number of goals a player has conceded this season from their post-shot expected goals stats, we are able to assess the performance of each goalkeeper. Only goalkeepers who have played seven or more matches have been considered.
And there are some surprises in the table below, perhaps one of the most notable being Arsenal's David Raya, who finishes 18th in the rankings having prevented his team from conceding -2.5 goals this season.
The Spaniard has leapfrogged Aaron Ramsdale this season to become Mikel Arteta's favourite between the sticks. This season he has made 29 appearances for the Gunners in the Premier League and the Champions League helping the Gunners rise to the top of the Premier League standings.
But it is a shock to see him so far down on the list, especially considering that he leads the way for the most clean sheets in the top-flight so far this season.
According to the stats, Jose Sa is the No 1 ranked goalkeeper in the Premier League this season when it comes to expected goals, having kept out 5.7 more strikes than anticipated. He could be part of the reason why Wolves have been performing so well under Gary O'Neil this season.
Behind him comes Tottenham newcomer Guglielmo Vicario, who has stepped up in place of Hugo Lloris to deliver stability at the back for Ange Postecoglou's side. As Mail Sport's Alvise Cagnazzo writes, Vicario has had a 'stunning start to life in the Premier League' but admits it's a mystery as to why the Italian remains his national side's third choice shot-stopper.
![Wolves shot stopper Jose Sa is the top ranking goalkeeper having kept out 5.7 more goals than expected](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/22/21/82793823-13228773-image-a-13_1711143192368.jpg)
Wolves shot stopper Jose Sa is the top ranking goalkeeper having kept out 5.7 more goals than expected
Goalkeeper | Team | PSxG minus GA (expected goals minus goals against) |
---|---|---|
1. Jose Sa | Wolves | +5.7 |
2. Guglielmo Vicario | Tottenham | +5.6 |
3. Andre Onana | Man United | +4.0 |
4. Alphonse Areola | West Ham | +3.8 |
5. Emiliano Martinez | Aston Villa | +3.6 |
6. Bernd Leno | Fulham | +2.4 |
7. Martin Dubravka | Newcastle United | +2.3 |
8. Neto | Bournemouth | +2.1 |
9. Caoimhin Kelleher | Liverpool | +1.2 |
10. Nick Pope | Newcastle | +1.1 |
11. Thomas Kaminski | Luton | +1.0 |
12. Jordan Pickford | Everton | +1.0 |
13. Alisson | Liverpool | +0.9 |
14. Ederson | Man City | -0.2 |
15. Robert Sanchez | Chelsea | -0.8 |
16. Bart Verbruggen | Brighton | -1.1 |
17. Wes Foderingham | Sheffield United | -1.5 |
18. David Raya | Arsenal | -2.5 |
19. Dean Henderson | Crystal Palace | -2.7 |
20. Jason Steele | Brighton | -3.2 |
21. Djordje Petrovic | Chelsea | -4.0 |
22. Matz Sels | Nottingham Forest | -4.3 |
23. James Trafford | Burnley | -5.9 |
24. Matt Turner | Nottingham Forest | -5.9 |
25. Sam Johnstone | Crystal Palace | -6 |
26. Mark Flekken | Brentford | -7.2 |
*Stats from FBref |
![Man United's Andre Onana is ranked third in the standings above two Premier League rivals](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/22/21/82793409-13228773-image-a-14_1711143255015.jpg)
Man United's Andre Onana is ranked third in the standings above two Premier League rivals
![David Raya, meanwhile, finished 18th in the standings despite having the most clean sheets this season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/22/21/82794095-13228773-David_Raya_meanwhile_finished_18th_in_the_standings_despite_havi-a-24_1711143706841.jpg)
David Raya, meanwhile, finished 18th in the standings despite having the most clean sheets this season
Andre Onana, meanwhile, has been ranked as statistically better than both of Ederson and Alisson, despite Man United crashing out of the Champions League at the group stages and dropping below Man City and Liverpool to sixth in the table.
His debut season in English football has been a bumpy one to say the least, with the £43million goalkeeper having faced some criticism for his performances. Despite that, he is a very useful asset to have between the sticks and possesses cat-like reflextes that have seen him pull off some fantastic saves this season.
While Ederson and Alisson rank 14th and 13th respectively, Onana is streaks ahead of them both, placing third in the rankings for expected shots.
Interestingly, both Onana and Ederson rank level with eight clean sheets in the Premier League this season, while Alisson, who has been recently sidelined with an injury, just one place behind them on seven clean sheets.
Jurgen Klopp labelled his injury as 'serious' and there are concerns over when he could return, with Liverpool currently in the thick of perhaps one of the closest title races we've seen in the Premier League for years. Despite that, they've been able to rely on their reserve keeper Caoimhin Kelleher who has taken on the task of filling the very large boots of his Brazilian team-mate very well.
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/22/21/82793405-13228773-image-a-20_1711143591569.jpg)
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/22/21/82793403-13228773-image-a-21_1711143591569.jpg)
Onana finishes above Alisson (left) and Ederson (right) in the standings, with the pair ranking 13th and 14th respectively
![Guglielmo Vicario is ranked second in the standings having saved more than 5.6 of his expected goals](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/22/21/82793915-13228773-Guglielmo_Vicario_is_ranked_second_in_the_standings_having_saved-a-23_1711143699685.jpg)
Guglielmo Vicario is ranked second in the standings having saved more than 5.6 of his expected goals
In fact, in the seven games he has played in this season, he has risen to ninth in the standings, one place above Nick Pope, having conceded seven goals. Klopp recently admitted that he was thankful Liverpool held on to Kelleher last summer. The German said last month: 'You would have to ask him but I think now he would be pretty happy with the decision he made in the summer.'
West Ham's Alphonse Areola and Emiliano Martinez make up the top five while Fulham's Bernd Leno, Martin Dubravka and Neto rank sixth, seventh and eighth in the standings.
Just outside the top ten comes Tomas Kaminski of Luton. While the Hatters find themselves in a relegation fight this season and have not won in their last five Premier League matches, he has been a shining light, pulling off some magnificent saves for Rob Edwards' side.
So too has Jordan Pickford, who finishes one spot behind him in 12th place. England's No 1 has perhaps been a savior for the Blues in recent years, helping them stay up in the 2022-23 seasons with some magnificent work in between the sticks.
![Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has enjoyed a solid season and makes up the top-five](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/22/21/82793445-13228773-image-a-17_1711143424842.jpg)
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has enjoyed a solid season and makes up the top-five
![Caoimhin Kelleher (left) breaks into the top-ten, having been briliant for Liverpool in place of Alisson](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/22/21/82793963-13228773-image-a-18_1711143492141.jpg)
Caoimhin Kelleher (left) breaks into the top-ten, having been briliant for Liverpool in place of Alisson
![Despite having been sidelined with a shoulder injury since December, Nick Pope ranks 10th](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/22/21/82793475-13228773-image-a-16_1711143360201.jpg)
Despite having been sidelined with a shoulder injury since December, Nick Pope ranks 10th
This season, it seems he's also developed his game in different areas too, and has complteted the most number of passes of any Premier League goalkeeper this season, 273.
At the bottom of the ladder comes Brentford's Mark Flekken who arrived in west London last summer from Freiburg. He has been put straight to work in between the sticks in the absence of Raya, but has not enjoyed the best start to life in English football, conceding 7.2 more goals than his expected goals tally has predicted.
Sam Johnson, James Trafford and Matt Turner all follow him at the bottom of the charts, while Chelsea's Djordje Petrovic ranks 21st, having stood in at times this season for 15th placed Robert Sanchez.