Every Premier League goalkeeper ranked on how many xG they’ve prevented so far this season… with a surprise at number one while Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Brentford keepers struggle

Expected goals, or xG, have become one of the biggest buzzwords in the world of the Premier League – but some goalkeepers do better at preventing them than others.

While Liverpool might be two points clear at the top of the Premier League table with 14 games left for them to play, Alisson is not at the top of the table for xG saved, according to the data. 

And whilst Everton, Burnley and Sheffield United make up the relegation places, it is a team higher up the table who have the goalkeeper who has made the fewest saves when compared to the xG they have faced between the sticks.

GiveMeSport and FBREF have come together to share the data on the goalkeepers who have performed best against the opportunities they have faced – and those who have fallen short of the mark. 

The table is topped by Tottenham Hotspur’s Guglielmo Vicario, who has a score of +6.6, once the number of goals allowed is removed from the xG they have faced.  

Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario is top of a list of Premier League goalkeepers for xG saved

While Liverpool top the Premier League table, goalkeeper Alisson is only ninth on the list

Vicario was in a precarious position at the start of the season, as he was brought in to replace Spurs stalwart and club captain Hugo Lloris in goal.

But under Ange Postecoglou, he has become one of the key figures at Spurs, with the side currently sitting in fourth spot, and he has made a huge difference, by denying over six goals compared to the shots coming his way during league games. 

The figures only apply to those goalkeepers who have played six or more league games this season, so most clubs only have one player on the list.

While Liverpool are top of the table on points, Reds shot-stopper Alisson is down in ninth place, with a score of +0.9 – although Manchester City’s Ederson is in 17th spot, having conceded two more goals than he ought to have done when compared to the xG figure. 

However, Newcastle United have two in the top ten with Martin Dubravka on +2.2 and Nick Pope on +1.1 for the Magpies. 

Everton’s Jordan Pickford has allowed exactly the same number of goals as the xG he has faced during his time in goal for the Toffees across the league campaign so far. 

At the other end of the table, both Brighton goalkeepers have struggled, with Bart Verbruggen on a score of -2.1, slightly ahead of his teammate Jason Steele on -2.4. 

Crystal Palace duo Dean Henderson and Sam Johnstone are also in the lower region of the table, as the Eagles struggle on the field under Roy Hodgson.  

But at the bottom of the table is Brentford’s goalkeeper Mark Flekken, with a score of -6.4. 

Sam Johnstone is towards the bottom of the table, as Crystal Palace struggle on the field

Brentford’s Mark Flekken has conceded 6.4 more goals than he should have during the season

Thomas Frank’s Bees had surpassed expectations in recent seasons, but Flekken has struggled to fill the hole left by the departure of David Raya to Arsenal. 

While Brentford’s problems are not entirely the goalkeeper’s fault, Flekken has conceded 6.4 more goals than he should have, ranking him as the worst Premier League goalkeeper among those with at least six appearances in the competition so far this season.

There is still significant time for these goalkeepers to improve their scores before the end of the Premier League season in May – but they may also find themselves under pressure as forward-thinking teams try to get their sides going with a winning formula.