Statistics

The best penalty savers in Premier League history

23 Mar 2018
Ederson and Dimitri Kharin

Ederson has kept out both spot-kicks he has faced for Man City but a former Chelsea goalkeeper is the penalty king

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It is almost a tradition for Premier League fans to celebrate being given a penalty as if they had just scored a goal.

But some goalkeepers in the competition have made a name for themselves by regularly frustrating opponents from the spot.

Dmitri Kharin is one such player.

The Russian, who represented Chelsea for seven years from 1992, is statistically the best Premier League goalkeeper when it comes to saving spot-kicks.

He successfully kept out five of the 11 he faced, a save rate of 45.45 per cent.

What about now? 

Three current PL goalkeepers are in the top 10, though such penalty prowess has not proven enough for them to presently be first choice at their respective clubs.

They are AFC Bournemouth's Artur Boruc, Burnley's Tom Heaton, and Simon Mignolet, of Liverpool.

Best penalty save rates (min. 10 faced)
Goalkeeper Pens faced Pens saved Save percentage
Dmitri Kharin 11 5 45.5
Manuel Almunia 14 6 42.9
Pavel Srnicek 12 5 41.7
Bryan Gunn 10 4 40.0
Artur Boruc 14 5 35.7
Mark Bosnich 18 6 33.3
David Seaman 22 7 31.8
Mark Crossley 19 6 31.6
Tom Heaton 10 3 30.0
Simon Mignolet 28 8 28.6

Two other goalkeepers new to the league for 2017/18 could be penalty kings of the future.

Ederson has saved both of the penalties he has faced for Manchester City, denying Crystal Palace's Luka Milivojevic and Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, while Brighton & Hove Albion's Mat Ryan has been beaten only one of three times.

James the main man

Both have a long way to go if they are to break the record for most individual penalty saves.

That feat belongs to David James, the goalkeeper who has made the most appearances in the PL, with 572.

James, who played for Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham United, Man City and Portsmouth, saved 13 spot-kicks.

Most penalty saves in PL history
Goalkeeper Pens faced Pens saved
David James 63 13
Thomas Sorensen 50 12
Mark Schwarzer 49 10
Brad Friedel 51 10
Shay Given 66 10
Heurelho Gomes 34 9
Robert Green 35 9
Jussi Jaaskelainen 52 9
Simon Mignolet 28 8
Edwin van der Sar 31 8
Also in this series

Part 1: Swansea most ruthless from penalty spot
Part 2: Milivojevic leads the way with penalty prowess
Part 3: Perfect Toure top from the penalty spot
Part 5: Danny Murphy's masterclass on taking penalties

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