Emi Martinez’s save from Nottingham Forest’s Nicolas Dominguez was perhaps the best we have seen in the Premier League this season.
Alan Smith, commentator for Sky Sports, called it “miraculous”, which is a bit of a disservice to turning water into wine, but you get what he’s saying.
Jamie Redknapp said he “couldn’t think of a better Premier League save in my life”, although those last three words seemed a bit redundant.
Anyway, it’s in the video below and you’ll probably agree: it was great.
But how did it compare to other great saves in the Premier League era?
Saves are much harder to remember than goals, so never mind The Athletics refresh your memory.
The Premier League congratulated itself on its existence in 2012 when it presented the Premier League 20 Seasons Awards.
There was a degree of recency among the winners, with Wayne Rooney winning best goal with his failed bicycle kick for Manchester United a year earlier, while 2011–12 was named the best season and Nemanja Vidic was voted the all-star 20 stars. year team.
Gordon’s save against Bolton was also fresh in the memory, but it’s hard to dispute that he won the award in 2012 and he’s holding up very well today.
Zat Knight is just a few yards away when he powers the ball towards the goal.
Gordon extends his arm…
And claws him over the bar. Dismissed because it was only from Zat Knight, but still a great save.
Everton’s 1-0 win over Chelsea in May 2022 was iconic in a number of ways: Richarlison celebrated his winning goal with a blue glow, Everton’s win at wild Goodison Park went some way to keeping them in the Premier League, and Pickford produced a memorable dive, except by Cesar Azpilicueta.
After Mason Mount’s shot hit the post, an outstretched Pickford found himself outside the width of his posts as the ball went towards Azpilicueta…
Pickford immediately recognized the danger and bent his sprint behind the goal line to give himself extra space for the impending save…
…and he has to adjust his body to dive to the right after running slightly past the corner.
“I’ve had worse,” he said afterward. Oh Jordan, you joker.
The cattiest save on our list. James falls short of clearing the Portmouth wall on the other side of his goal when referee Uriah Rennie tells Gareth Barry he can take a quick free-kick.
James sprints across his goal and dives at full length to tap the ball around the post.
Peter Schmeichel, Manchester United vs Liverpool, 1993
Pure reflexology from the OG PL GK (original gangster Premier League goalkeeper).
GO DEEPER
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It is a story as old as time; attacker versus goalkeeper, one against one, powerful shot, strong save. And there is no better example in the history of the Premier League.
Schmeichel’s left wrist is stronger than steel, forged from his youth as a cleaner in a retirement home.
Don Hutchison shouts “f***” and puts his head in his hands. It is an appropriate response.
There are two good indicators that a special rescue has just occurred:
1) Fans make a noise to celebrate the goal, but then fade into stunned silence; or
2) Players put their heads in their hands.
Four Swansea players do this after Joe Hart’s save from Federico Fernandez in 2015.
What preceded their response was an acrobatic rescue of the highest order. Fernandez’s header goes towards the corner…
But Hart fingers him over the bar.
Miguel Almiron absolutely deflects this volley as if his life depends on it…
But Alisson unleashes his inner Gandalf and almost screams, “You shall not pass!” with a rescue that almost defies gravity and physics.
Cudicini scored four goals in this match, a 4-4 thriller at the old White Hart Lane, but he also made one of the finest saves of the Premier League era.
Tottenham’s Dimitar Berbatov should of course score with a free shot from twelve yards, but when he sets up his effort, Cudicini’s weight shifts to the left…
…but he adjusts his body and extends an almighty right paw to block it somehow.
Probably the save with the fastest response time on our list.
Arsenal’s Leno had just blocked for Christian Eriksen, but the ball went to Moussa Sissoko, who hit it with full force from the edge of the penalty area.
With two players in the way, Leno can’t see the ball until the last millisecond…
But extends a hand to distract it.
Ian Wright tweeted the word ‘Leno’ with several clapping emojis. I can’t say more honest than that.
Okay, leave your comments below: ‘I can’t believe X save was included, I could have saved that’ and ‘Why isn’t X save listed, I’m unsubscribing’. Cheers.
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Emiliano Martinez: Hated by opponents, loved by Argentina, endlessly entertaining
(Top photo: Martinez’s save against Forest; by Shaun Botterill via Getty Images)