Who have been the busiest goalkeepers in the Premier League so far this season?

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Arsenal, Burnley, Sunderland and Tottenham keepers all feature.

Sunderland’s Jordan Pickford celebrates after Patrick van Aanholt scores their first goal

Goalkeepers tend to get the headlines when they drop a clanger, and sometimes their performances can go overlooked.

Yet in the Premier League so far this season, there have been some pretty busy goalkeepers for many of the sides. Many would suggest that those towards the bottom of the table have busier goalkeepers given their defensive frailties, but the top sides always believe that a good goalkeeper is an integral part of their success.

So how are they getting on so far this season?

Most saves per game, 2016/17 season (min five appearances):

Jordan Pickford seems to have had a very busy time of things since he was handed his opportunity to prove himself as the number one at Sunderland following an elbow injury to Vito Mannone. The Black Cats sit bottom of the league with just the two points, and judging by the fact he averages over five saves per game – those in front of him aren’t giving him a lot of help.

Eldin Jakupobvic and Tom Heaton are both in goal for sides returning to the Premier League, while Kasper Schmeichel is being kept busy for defending champions Leicester City – at the start of a season which has seen them without an away win in the Premier League.

Shay Given started the first few games for Stoke City and they have been struggling for form, while Adrian and Lukasz Fabiankski have both been in a similar boat for West Ham United and Swansea City respectively. In among those goalkeepers are two who play for the sides have conceded the first and second most goals in the league this season in Stoke City and West Ham United.

Most high claims per game, 2016/17 season (minimum five appearances):

Jordan Pickford features in this table again for Sunderland, which suggests he is under threat from all angles but there are a few other names ahead of him in the list. Arsenal’s Petr Cech is an example of a why a good goalkeeper is needed at the top end of the table as it seems the Gunners – along with West Brom and Watford are being kept busy with crosses, but also have a strong command of their area.

Swansea City’s Lukasz Fabianski

The table shows that Lukasz Fabianski isn’t exactly having the easiest of seasons having featured among those to have averaged the most saves per game.

Most smothers per game, 2016/17 season:

If goalkeepers are coming to smother the ball, it usually means they’re either exposed, their side is playing a high line or they are very comfortable coming off their line. It’s probably of little surprise that Hugo Lloris of Tottenham is top of this chart for the latter two reasons. Given that Spurs have conceded just the three goals so far this season, it’s hard to argue he’s been exposed too much.

But what’s interesting is to see more of the same names in this table as in the previous two. Adrian, Gomes, Fabianski and Heaton have all been seen before. Manchester United’s David De Gea is the exception.

Burnley’s Tom Heaton gestures