Within the sport of soccer, having an excellent goalkeeper is all the time thought of a plus for any group.
Keepers play an integral half within the sport and in case your aspect can have one who is sweet in penalties, then you possibly can at the least be assured of grabbing just a few accolades in competitions that would wish a penalty shootout to win.
Within the weekend, Watford’s Ben Forster clocked a formidable new milestone, following his penalty save to disclaim Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Whereas they went on to lose, it was one other exemplary outing for the Englishman who has been within the Premier League for a while now.
With the save, Forster grew to become the joint-record holder for many spot-kicks saved within the Premier League period however who’re the others with an excellent penalty report?
The previous Bolton Wanderers man Jussi Jaaskelainen additionally holds the acclaim of being certainly one of simply seven ‘keepers to have made two penalty saves in a single Premier League sport, having accomplished so in opposition to Blackburn Rovers again in October 2006.
The 46-year-old spent 15 years with the Trotters after his arrival in 1997, earlier than having fun with a three-year stint at West Ham and a two-year spell with Wigan. His prolonged spell in English soccer noticed him make 436 Premier League appearances, whereas he’s 14th on the all-time listing for clear sheets, having registered 108 shutouts.
Howard featured for Manchester United and Everton FC within the Premier League in a formidable 13-year stint.
It was at Everton that he made his mark after making 354 league appearances for the Toffees. His time on the membership additionally noticed him save two penalties in an FA Cup semi-final shootout win over former membership United in 2009, whereas within the league he notably saved a Jermain Defoe spot-kick in stoppage time to clinch a degree in opposition to Tottenham within the 2009/10 season.
Fabianski has spent the final 15 years within the Premier League, having initially joined Arsenal in 2007 from Polish aspect Legia Warsaw.
Whereas he made very important shoot-out saves within the FA Cup semi-final victory over Wigan Athletic in 2014, his first Premier League penalty cease didn’t come till his transfer to Swansea Metropolis, as he denied Leicester Metropolis’s Riyad Mahrez in a 2-1 defeat in August 2016.
Since that spot-kick, no ‘keeper has made extra penalty saves within the division, with three of his seven Premier League spot-kick saves having come since his transfer to the London Stadium in 2018.
Whereas rather a lot has been mentioned about his errors, Hart was one of many best keepers throughout his spell at Man Metropolis the place he gained the Golden Glove award 4 instances within the house of simply 5 seasons between 2010 and 2015.
The England worldwide performed an integral function within the membership’s league title triumphs in each 2012 and 2014, earlier than the arrival of Pep Guardiola spelled the top for his time in Manchester in 2016. His most up-to-date Premier League penalty save got here the colours of West Ham in a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in September 2018.
Whereas susceptible to the odd error and inconsistent show, Mignolet had a superb penalty-saving report throughout his time with Liverpool. He stored out eight spot-kicks throughout all competitions in his six-year spell with the membership.
One among three goalkeepers to have made 9 penalty saves within the Premier League period. The Englishman emerged onto the scene with Norwich Metropolis in 1998, earlier than calling it quits after a solitary season at Chelsea in 2019.
His memorable moments got here with West Ham United, the place he saved seven of his 9 spot-kicks, together with from Cristiano Ronaldo in a 2-1 win over Manchester United in December 2007. He additionally made two additional penalty saves after shifting to Queens Park Rangers in 2012, notably denying Steven Gerrard in a 2-1 defeat, having additionally beforehand denied his former worldwide colleague in a 3-0 loss whereas with the Hammers.
Gomes is certainly one of simply seven ‘keeper’s to have saved two penalties in a single Premier League sport, with the Brazilian having truly gone one higher by attaining the feat on two events.
He saved twice from Darren Bent in a defeat to Sunderland in 2010, albeit with the striker having already dispatched a penalty earlier within the sport.
Gomes then repeated the trick whereas at Watford in April 2016, serving to the Hornets to a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion after twice saving from Saido Berahino.
Forster started his skilled profession at Stoke Metropolis, earlier than making a transfer to Manchester United in 2005. Whereas he was a part-time keeper at Outdated Trafford, he made a mark in Cup video games every time he was referred to as upon together with his best second for the membership have been coming within the League Cup closing victory over Spurs in 2009 through which he saved from Jamie O’Hara within the shootout.
He would, nevertheless, by no means make a penalty cease within the league whereas with United, with the vast majority of his spot-kick saves coming throughout his time at West Brom and through his two spells at Watford.