After Alisson's sensational display in goal for Liverpool in their UEFA Champions League win at Paris Saint-Germain, football writer Alex Keble discusses whether the Brazilian is the Premier League's best goalkeeper right now.
One of the most extraordinary goalkeeping performances in Champions League history has thrust Alisson into the spotlight, and after witnessing the Brazilian's brilliance greatness at the Parc des Princes, Liverpool's head coach and players were emphatic in their assessment.
"I have had some very good players as a manager but never the best goalkeeper in the world until now," Arne Slot said. "He showed that he is the best in the world today."
"I’ve got no words," was the initial response of Harvey Elliott, before declaring "this guy is unbelievable. The best in the world."
Elliott's goal, scored just 42 seconds after he came off the bench, sealed a smash-and-grab win over Paris Saint-Germain but the triumph was built on a spectacular defensive performance - starring one man in particular.
Those connected with Liverpool are bound to agree, but detaching ourselves from the recency bias of what happened last night, whether Alisson is really "the best in the world" – or even the best in the Premier League – is up for debate.
Is Alisson the best goalkeeper in the Premier League?
The Brazilian's nine saves in Paris were the most he has ever made in one match since joining Liverpool from Roma in 2018.
Shots faced by Alisson v PSG
It was a new peak, then, in a Liverpool career of highs: seven seasons, 221 Premier League matches, and five major trophies, including the first of what will surely be two Premier League winners’ medals soon.
But on achievements alone, Alisson isn’t quite the best in the division right now. Manchester City’s Ederson, Alisson’s compatriot who has helped redefine the position in England since his arrival in 2017, has won 15 major trophies, including six Premier League winners’ medals.
Not that we can simply add up the wins and the trophies to decide who is the best.
For that, we need to look at the data, which suggests a number of contenders for the label of Premier League's best goalkeeper.
Data reveals Alisson's rivals
Alisson’s data is diluted by having missed eight league matches through injury, but from his 20 appearances, he has recorded eight clean sheets (Caoimhin Kelleher kept three for Liverpool in his absence).
He is only three behind the leader in the race for the Golden Glove, Nottingham Forest's Matz Sels, who has played seven matches more.
Most clean sheets PL 2024/25
| Player | Total clean sheets |
| Matz Sels (NFO) | 11 |
|---|---|
| David Raya (ARS) | 10 |
| Jordan Pickford (EVE) | 9 |
| Alisson (LIV) | 8 |
| Dean Henderson (CRY) | 8 |
| Andre Onana (MUN) | 7 |
| Bart Verbruggen(BHA) | 6 |
| Martin Dubravka (NEW) | 5 |
| Ederson (MCI) | 5 |
| Kepa Arrizabalaga (BOU) | 5 |
In fact, Alisson has kept a clean sheet in 40 per cent of his matches this season, almost equal to Sels’ 41 per cent, with only Martin Dubravka’s 50 per cent (five from 10 matches) being notably higher.
More impressively, of the goalkeepers who have played 10 or more matches, only Dubravka (12) and Guglielmo Vicario (15) have conceded fewer goals than Alisson (17).
Fewest goals conceded PL 2024/25*
| Player | Goals conceded |
| Martin Dubravka (NEW) | 12 |
|---|---|
| Guglielmo Vicario (TOT) | 15 |
| Alisson (LIV) | 17 |
| Lukasz Fabianski (WHU) | 20 |
| Ederson (MCI) | 22 |
| David Raya (AR) | 23 |
| Kepa Arrizabalaga (BOU) | 25 |
| Nick Pope (NEW) | 26 |
| Alphonse Areola (WHU) | 27 |
| Robert Sanchez (CHE) | 27 |
*Minimum 10 matches played
It could be argued that Alisson's low number of saves - his 47 are the 19th-highest tally in the division - is due to Liverpool’s superiority at the top of the table, and the defensive abilities of their outfield players, as well as his eight-match absence.
Save percentage is of greater significance, and Alisson’s 71.7 per cent puts him seventh in the charts, although even this doesn’t necessarily reflect quality.
Indeed, goalkeeping quality is notoriously difficult to capture in statistics, although one that does shed some light is comparing "post-shot Expected Goals" – which measures where the shot went in the goalmouth – with the total goals conceded.
This gives an indication of how many Expected Goals were saved, with a positive score indicating better quality.
Alisson is on +0.62, which is still only 11th among those to have played at least 10 matches.
Expected Goals on Target (xGOT) saved PL 2024/25*
| Player | xGOT saved |
| Guglielmo Vicario (TOT) | 4.33 |
|---|---|
| Kepa (BOU) | 3.34 |
| Ederson (MCI) | 3.24 |
| Matz Sels (NFO) | 3.19 |
| Lukasz Fabianski (WHU) | 2.66 |
| Dean Henderson (CRY) | 1.73 |
| Caoimhin Kelleher (LIV) | 1.6 |
| Robert Sanchez (CHE) | 1.12 |
| Mark Flekken (BRE) | 1.08 |
| Jordan Pickford (EVE) | 0.91 |
| Alisson (LIV) | 0.62 |
*Minimum 10 matches played
Sels, Ederson and Tottenham Hotspur's Vicario can all stake a claim as the Premier League's best goalkeeper right now.
But of course, goalkeeping isn’t just about saving shots. It’s about command of the area, organisation of the defence, claiming aerial balls, and clearing danger.
Alisson ranks third for punches made, with 16, while his total of 19 "keeper sweepings" is the fifth-best.
He is right up there. And when he’s needed the most – as we saw in Paris – Alisson is as good as anyone.
