Coral’s five Premier League era game-changing goalies

See De Gea keep out Everton:

Brad Friedel (Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Liverpool and Tottenham)
Recently retired Friedel has a catalogue of cracking shut-outs over his long career, and was once famously compared to Superman by Gordon Strachan, who said, after the American keeper put in a sensational performance against his then Southampton side, that: “Friedel must have got changed in a telephone box. I wouldn’t be surprised if when he takes his shirt off there’s a blue jersey with an `S’ on underneath it.”

As the oldest ever player to appear in the Premier League, Friedel is surely one of the greatest and most underrated to have graced English shores, once notably saving a penalty just 10 minutes into his Villa debut against Reading in 2008.

Highlights of Friedel’s time with Tottenham:

David James (Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester City, Portsmouth and West Ham United)
Journeyman James is unfortunately remembered more for his fumbles and famous mistakes than the fact that he holds the record for most Premier League clean sheets.

So-called ‘Calamity James’ was just as able to pull-off the sublime, however, stepping up to save a penalty from Arsenal star Paul Merson in the midst of a mixed first season with Liverpool in 1993 and, later years, became somewhat of cult hero for Portsmouth, for whom he once racked up five games in a row without conceding.

View the best of David James:

Jens Lehmann (Arsenal)
Lehmann is often another easy target of mirth and jokes when it comes to goalkeepers, but it is worth remembering what a wall the German once was for the Gunners, appearing in all 38 Premier League outings in the famous 2003/04 ‘Invincibles’ season, his first in the English top tier, when Arsenal were unbeaten.

Although the controversial character tailed-off in later terms, he was still capable of the spectacular. Remember how he tipped away Man Utd marksman Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s 86th minute effort in 2006? The ‘Baby-faced Assassin’s’ expression says it all.

Lehmann in action for Arsenal:

Peter Schmeichel (Manchester United)
During his time at Old Trafford the Great Dane may as well have held up a sign saying ‘Thou shalt not pass!’, as Schmeichel was a true match-winner in net for the Red Devils. One of his most famous being to thwart then foes Newcastle United and John Barnes in 1998, amazingly stretching to push a headed ball around the post in a 1-0 victory. The lauded save was later voted Premier League Save of the Decade. Nice.

See Schmeichel deny Newcastle: