The goalkeeper position isn’t one that Fantasy Premier League managers tend to fret over too much, but it is still worth putting some thought into which shot-stopper you want for the start of the season and beyond.
In an ideal world, your chosen keeper for Gameweek 1 will still be in place by the time you use your first Wildcard as it’s not a role that you want to be using precious transfers on given they tend to provide fewer points than players higher up the pitch.
You may have to use more of your £100m budget on those two goalie slots, though, as there is an absence of £4m starters this year.
Over the past two seasons, Alphonse Areola and Danny Ward have provided FPL bosses with a budget-busting option between the sticks (albeit with mixed results) but it’s unlikely we’ll get one this term, barring a freak injury crisis.
As ever, there are options at different price points, ranging from £5.5m at the top end to £4.5m at the bottom. While some bosses prefer the security of a premium asset, others are happier to run the gauntlet on a cheaper option to free up funds to be spent elsewhere.
Here are five keepers we’re tipping for big things this season:
David Raya (Arsenal)
An obvious place to start. David Raya won the Golden Glove by keeping the most clean sheets last season (with 16) despite only playing 32 times in his debut year at Arsenal.
Raya was the best-protected goalkeeper in the division by a distance as the Gunners gave up significantly fewer high-quality chances than any other team, recording an expected goals against (xGA) figure of 27.9; Manchester City had the second-best tally with 35.6. Mikel Arteta has further strengthened a formidable backline by signing Riccardo Calafiori.
The Spanish international is a safe if unspectacular option for your FPL team. While he boasts better clean sheet potential than any other goalkeeper, he doesn’t tend to pick up many bonus points as he generally has fewer saves to make. He earned just six bonus points, a total bettered by 18 keepers.
Price: £5.5m Points in 2023-24: 135
Alisson Becker (Liverpool)
Four keepers are valued at £5.5m and Raya is proving to be by far the most popular at the time of writing. Uncertainty over Ederson’s future at Manchester City has probably put FPL bosses buying either the Brazilian or his rival Stefan Ortega, but the lack of interest in Alisson is more surprising.
It could be that FPL managers are waiting to see how Liverpool perform at the start of the Arne Slot era, before investing in their defence. However, the Reds have a more favourable fixture run at the start of the season than most which could bode well for Alisson’s clean sheet prospects.
Liverpool play newly-promoted Ipswich Town on the opening day and face only one of last season’s top 10 – Manchester United at Old Trafford in Gameweek 3 – in their first six matches.
Price: £5.5m Points in 2023-24: 107
Jordan Pickford (Everton)
We selected Jordan Pickford in this corresponding article last summer and he justified our selection by earning more FPL points than any other keeper, eventually finishing 18 points clear of his nearest competitor Raya.
England’s No 1 kept 13 clean sheets overall, a record that was three behind the Arsenal man but also three ahead of anyone else. Considering he played for a side that finished in the bottom half of the table, that was an impressive feat.
Understandably given his form, Pickford has received a price rise of £0.5m this season, but he still represents excellent value. Sean Dyche has made The Toffees difficult to break down, particularly at Goodison Park where Pickford kept nine clean sheets in 19 appearances.
Price: £5m Points in 2023-24: 153
Alphonse Areola (West Ham)
There doesn’t appear to be a standout option at £4.5m but Areola could be one to consider after enjoying a solid first campaign as West Ham’s No 1 Premier League goalkeeper.
Areola only kept four clean sheets in 31 appearances (including three in a row against Manchester United, Arsenal and Brighton either side of Christmas) but he more than made up for that by racking up the saves. Keepers earn an extra point for every three saves made per match in FPL.
The 31-year-old made 136 overall, a total only bettered by Andre Onana (who costs £5m) and Thomas Kaminski (who is no longer playing in the division). He also proved himself as a penalty expert too, saving two of seven efforts faced.
Price: £4.5m Points in 2023-24: 116
Mark Flekken (Brentford)
There’s plenty of uncertainty over which goalkeepers will get the nod at their respective clubs for Gameweek 1. Dean Henderson and Sam Johnstone are in competition at Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest have added yet another keeper to their ranks and Filip Jorgensen will presumably usurp both Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic in Enzo Maresca’s pecking order once he joins Chelsea.
It is sensible to err on the side of caution, therefore, and pick someone who is (presumably) nailed on to start, like Brentford’s Mark Flekken. The Dutchman proved a capable replacement for Raya, keeping seven clean sheets, making 113 saves and even providing an assist in his inaugural Premier League season.
The Bees have a pretty rough start to the campaign with trips to Anfield, the Etihad and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium scheduled in their first five games so you might want to buy another first-choice stopper with more favourable fixtures in those weeks.
Price: £4.5m Points in 2023-24: 119
