Who holds the file for probably the most Premier League clear sheets? We’re right here to avoid wasting you looking out round for the reply.
Petr Čech: 202 Clear Sheets
When Chelsea handed over £7 million for a goalkeeper who had performed simply over 50 video games in Ligue 1 for Rennes, a number of eyebrows had been raised. Particularly as Manchester United had paid simply £800,000 extra 4 years beforehand to safe the providers of FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship winner Fabien Barthez. However whereas the Frenchman would solely preserve 30 clear sheets for the Crimson Devils, Petr Čech went on to set the file for probably the most in Premier League historical past.
It had not been anticipated that Čech would make an instantaneous influence at Stamford Bridge with Carlo Cudicini firmly established as primary heading into the 2004-2005 season. However an elbow damage to the Italian noticed Čech given a baptism of fireside: he recorded the primary of his 202 clear sheets towards Manchester United in a 1-0 victory, which was additionally Jose Mourinho’s first sport accountable for the Blues.
And having snaffled the beginning spot, Čech by no means appeared again, ultimately recording a Premier League file 24 clear sheets through the 2004-2005 season, three greater than some other goalkeeper earlier than or since in a single marketing campaign.
The data saved tumbling with Čech changing into the primary Premier League goalkeeper to go over 1,000 minutes with out conceding, the quickest to achieve each 50 and 100 clear sheets as he would ultimately end with 162 for Chelsea, probably the most a goalkeeper has achieved for a single crew within the Premier League.
A transfer to north London couldn’t sluggish Čech down both. He recorded one other 40 clear sheets for Arsenal as he grew to become the one goalkeeper to surpass the 200 mark within the Premier League, successful 4 Premier League Golden Glove awards within the course of (a file he collectively holds with Joe Hart). It meant throughout the 443 Premier League appearances, he saved a clear sheet in 45.6% of them, a file solely topped by one different participant within the high 10.
That wasn’t the top of Čech’s profession in nets. He often performed for Chelsea’s improvement squad following his retirement, notably within the sport the place Danny Drinkwater barely misplaced his head and brought on a melee. Fortunately for Čech, he was used to the occasional combat breaking out throughout play as he had additionally been a netminder for the Chelmsford Chieftains within the third tier of British Ice Hockey, shifting up from enjoying a key function for the Guildford Phoenix within the division under. There, he secured extra common season success in 12 matches, recording a 93.4% save share, considerably greater than the 75.4% from his Premier League profession.
David James: 169 Clear Sheets
Maybe it’s not an excessive amount of of a shock that David James sits second on this listing contemplating he holds the file for probably the most appearances made by a goalkeeper in Premier League historical past at 572. However whereas Cech loved a formidable hit charge for changing appearances into clear sheets, it’s a little totally different for the previous Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Manchester Metropolis and Portsmouth glovesman, with these 162 clear sheets coming in 29.5% of his Premier League appearances. Sadly, this additionally means James holds the file for conceding probably the most objectives within the competitors, selecting the ball out of the again of internet on 665 events.
The place James proved adept was on residence soil, with 102 of his clear sheets coming when enjoying in entrance of his personal followers, making up 60% of his complete clear sheets. And no goalkeeper has been higher at stopping penalties within the Premier League, with James’ file of penalty 13 saves unmatched, though he has confronted the second most within the competitors’s historical past at 63, simply three fewer than Shay Given (who was solely in a position to cease 10).
Mark Schwarzer: 151 Clear Sheets
One other one for longevity followers right here. Mark Schwarzer’s last Premier League look got here on the age of 42 years and 159 days outdated, retaining a clear sheet for Leicester Metropolis as they performed out a goalless draw with Hull Metropolis on 14 March 2015.
His 514 appearances within the Premier League continues to be probably the most by any non-British participant, representing Middlesbrough, Fulham, Chelsea and Leicester Metropolis. He saved 151 clear sheets.
For the reason that 2003-2004 season, the purpose from which we have now match-by-match save knowledge, Schwarzer has made the fourth most within the Premier League at 1,141 and conceded 653 objectives, which is second to James all time.
David de Gea: 147 Clear Sheets
Throughout his 12-year spell with Manchester United, David de Gea amassed 147 Premier League clear sheets, placing him fourth on the all-time listing and there he’ll stay for some time but.
De Gea holds the file for probably the most shutouts on the Crimson Devils, surpassing Peter Schmeichel (112) some time in the past, however his departure in 2023 prevented him difficult these additional up the listing.
However who is aware of, maybe he’ll be again on English shores in future.
David Seaman: 140 Clear Sheets
Regardless of a penchant for being lobbed in key moments of the most important matches on a continental and worldwide stage, ‘protected arms’ was as dependable as they got here within the Premier League for each Arsenal and, briefly, Manchester Metropolis, together with his 137 clear sheets for the Gunners third solely to Cech and De Gea for a single membership within the Premier League.
Seaman performed on the opening weekend of the Premier League in August 1992, though he wouldn’t benefit from the honour of a first-day clear sheet within the competitors, his Arsenal facet letting a two-goal lead slip as they fell to a shocking 4-2 defeat towards Norwich Metropolis. As an alternative, that milestone was shared by Tim Flowers and Ian Walker after their respective sides, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, performed out a goalless draw.
Nigel Martyn: 137 Clear Sheets
Britain’s first £1m goalkeeper on the tail finish of the Eighties, Nigel Martyn went on to have a protracted Premier League profession for Crystal Palace, Everton and most notably at Leeds United, the place his performances noticed him named within the membership’s official best all-time XI. He was the one choice to not have performed for the membership through the Don Revie period.
Most impressively, in addition to recording 137 clear sheets, Martyn was by no means despatched off in his 372 appearances within the Premier League (though he did decide up seven yellow playing cards alongside the way in which).
Rolling by means of the remainder of the highest 10, we discover the primary goalkeeper to file 20 or extra clear sheets in numerous seasons. They made up a part of Pepe Reina’s complete of 136 in 297 Premier League appearances, giving him a superior hit charge to Cech, however solely simply at 45.8%. His file has since between matched by each Alisson and Ederson at Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis respectively.
And remarkably, there are three goalkeepers who’ve saved a complete of 132 clear sheets of their Premier League careers, with two of them (Brad Friedel and Tim Howard) being American. Edwin Van Der Sar completes the trio.
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