While Ederson has taken the lead in his bid for a fourth consecutive Castrol Golden Glove award, the Manchester City goalkeeper has done so amid the backdrop of struggling times for the men between the Premier League clubs' posts.
The Brazilian has managed to keep four clean sheets in seven matches, one ahead of four rivals: Jose Sa, Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale and Robert Sanchez.
But the early evidence in 2022/23 suggests that clean sheets will be in shorter supply this season.
From the 67 matches, there have been just 34 clean sheets, at an average of 0.51 per match. This is the lowest rate since 2010/11, when the figure stood at 0.50 across the whole campaign.
Season lows for clean sheets
| Season | Matches | Clean sheets | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010/11 | 380 | 191 | 0.50 |
| 2022/23 | 67 | 34 | 0.51 |
| 2012/13 | 380 | 200 | 0.53 |
| 2011/12 | 380 | 206 | 0.54 |
This may put the record for the Golden Glove winner with the fewest clean sheets at threat.
This is currently held by Joe Hart, who claimed the award with just 14 shutouts for Man City in 2014/15.
Fewest clean sheets for Golden Glove
| Season | Player | Club | Clean sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014/15 | Joe Hart | MCI | 14 |
| 2013/14 | Petr Cech | CHE | 16 |
| Wojciech Szczesny | ARS | 16 | |
| 2015/16 | Petr Cech | ARS | 16 |
| 2016/17 | Thibaut Courtois | CHE | 16 |
| 2019/20 | Ederson | MCI | 16 |
This season's rivals
Ederson will have the chance to join Petr Cech and Hart in being the only goalkeepers to have won the award on four occasions but faces fierce competition from four goalkeepers looking to lift the coveted prize for the first time.
Sa has continued his form of last season, when he kept 11 clean sheets in his maiden Premier League campaign at Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Pope has been an inspired signing for Newcastle United, also winning August's Castrol Save of the Month award.
All three of Ramsdale's clean sheets have come in away matches, so if Arsenal can stop a run of eight home matches without a clean sheet, his bid will be strengthened.
Sanchez has conceded the fewest goals this season, just five, but Brighton & Hove Albion have played six matches to the others' seven.
Also in this series
Part 1: Golden Boot: Haaland on course to smash Salah's record
Part 3: Playmaker leader De Bruyne set for historic season
