The hunt for the EPL best goalkeeper 2024/25 was one of the most contested subplots of the season. In a league where margins are razor-thin, shot-stoppers made the difference between survival and glory. From tactical sweeper-keeper roles to traditional shot-stopping artistry, the season delivered a feast of contrasts. Below, IrfanGoal walks you through the stats, debates, and standout stories behind this race — and hopefully helps you decide who truly reigned.
The battleground: Criteria that define “best goalkeeper”
To crown the EPL best goalkeeper 2024/25, you can’t rely on clean sheets alone. Here are the key metrics (and some context) that separated the elite:
- Clean sheets / shutouts – still a basic measure of consistency.
- Expected goals prevented / goals prevented (PSxG difference) – how much better the kee.
- Save percentage / shots faced – raw shot-stopping efficiency under pressure.
- Distribution & build-up play – modern keepers are as important with their feet as with their hands.
- Big match performances / errors – the ones who shine under fire or cause heartbreak.
These variables tell a richer story than a simple “most shutouts” title. Let’s dive into who stood out.
Clean sheets race: Who locked the door?
One of the most visible stats to fans is the number of matches a kee. In 2024/25:
- Matz Sels led the league, recording 13 clean sheets in 37 appearances, topping the charts.
- David Raya of Arsenal matched that tally, with 13 clean sheets across 37 matches.
- Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson followed with 11 each.
- André Onana and Alisson Becker each registered 9 clean sheets (though Alisson played fewer games).
- Notably, Arsenal as a club also recorded 13 clean sheets—the joint highest in the league.
But clean sheets tell only half the story: some keepers amassed them behind rock-solid defenses, while others did so with frequent heroic saves.
Saving vs preventing: The deeper metrics
The analysts leaned heavily on goals prevented (PSxG difference) to distinguish excellence. Some key observations:
- Spectacularly, Dean Henderson ranked high invented, marking him as one of the more impressive performers when judged by overperformance.
- Robert Sánchez, despite criticism at times, earned praise for strong underlying metrics and one of the better save percentages (~76.4%) in the league. Football365])
- Matz Sels emerged not only as a clean sheet leader but also as a consistent overperformer in expected goals prevented.
- Some keepers were weighed down by weak defenses or error-prone moments—things you won’t see in clean-sheet stats.
Shot-stopping in high volume also matters. Mark Flekken, for instance, led the entire Premier League in total saves (around 153) with a save percentage of 73.6%, showcasing incredible work rate behind a shaky defense.
Thus, when combining both clean sheet tallies and overperformance metrics, names like Sels, Raya, Henderson, and Flekken demanded serious attention.
Distribution, swee, and footwork — the modern keeper’s edge
By 2024/25, the goalkeeper’s role had evolved: he’s not just the last line, but often the first pass in attack. Some keepers stood out:
- David Raya: His composure on the ball, passing range, and decision-making under pressure added layers to his value. Many pundits placed him high among keepers precisely for that dual skill.
- André Onana: A natural swee, he often acted almost like a defensive midfielder behind United’s backline. His passing and movement outside the box were widely noted.
- Ederson remains a yardstick for distribution quality—even in games he didn’t shine as brightly.
These attributes rarely show up in the classic metrics, but they influence a coach’s trust and a team’s playing style.
The story contenders: Profiles & standout seasons
Let’s look at a handful of keepers whose seasons made strong cases for EPL best goalkeeper 2024/25.
Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest)
Sels combined consistency, big-saves, and underlying metrics. Leading the clean sheet charts with 13, he also often outperformed PSxG expectations. His performances arguably rescued Forest on multiple occasions.
David Raya
Raya’s second consecutive Golden Glove (shared with Sels) cemented his status. Beyond shutouts, his distribution, composure, and leadership in a title-challenging side added weight to his case.
Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)
Henderson often outperformed expectations, delivering stellar performances in matches where more was demanded. His overperformance on PSxG metrics made him a dark horse.
Mark Flekken (Brentford)
Though his team conceded often, Flekken’s sheer workload, volume of saves, and resilience stood out. Leading the league by volume of saves is no small feat—and often a sign of a fearless keeper.
André Onana (Manchester United)
Onana was inconsistent, but his peaks, ball-playing ability, and occasional dominance in big games meant he couldn’t be fully dismissed. He contributed both in shot-stopping and building play.
Verdict: Who deserves the crown?
So, who wins the race for EPL best goalkeeper 2024/25?
If I were announcing the award today, Matz Sels gets the slight edge. Why?
- He matched top clean-sheet numbers (13) and often outperformed expectations.
- He was a backbone for Forest, pulling off big saves in tightly contested games.
- In a league where authority and resilience matter, he embodied both.
However, David Raya is a very close second—and in another year, with marginal shifts, he might have taken the crown outright. His combination of shot-stopping and distribution was elite.
Honorable mentions: Henderson impressed when needed, and Flekken deserves credit for never shying away. Onana, despite fluctuations, remains one of the more interesting keepers in England if he can stabilize a bit more.
Final Thoughts
The race for EPL best goalkeeper 2024/25 was fascinating because it forced fans and analysts to look beyond simple clean-sheet stats. The best goalkeeper in a season is a blend of shot-stopping, consistency, distribution, and moments of magic.
At IrfanGoal, we believe Matz Sels just edged it—though David Raya and Dean Henderson both have compelling claims of their own. Want a full comparison table or head-to-head match performances? Just say the word — we’ll dig deep.
