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Ranking the five Premier League goalkeepers to reach 50 clean sheets the fastest

Manchester City’s Ederson moved into the joint-lead for the Golden Glove courtesy of a clean sheet in the club’s midweek win at Brighton, the Brazilian’s shut-out seeing him reach a landmark of 50 Premier League clean sheets since moving to the Etihad.

The presence of a great goalkeeper can be the difference between a side winning the title or falling just short, with an elite shot-stopper capable of winning his side decisive points throughout the course of a campaign.

English football has seen some truly fine numbers ones throughout the Premier League era, but which goalkeepers have reached a half century of clean sheets in the fewest games?

Here are the five Premier League goalkeepers to reach 50 clean sheets the fastest:

David Seaman – 118 games

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The stand-out English goalkeeper amid a generation of superb shot-stoppers throughout the early years of the Premier League era, Seaman was the reliable last line of defence behind a formidable Arsenal backline throughout the nineties.

Seaman helped Arsenal to the league’s best defensive record in three of the first five seasons of the rebranded league, before remaining a key figure during the early successes of the Arsene Wenger era – winning domestic doubles in both 1998 and 2002.

The former England number one reached a half century of Premier League clean sheets in just 118 appearances, whilst only three goalkeepers have ever registered more in the history of the division.

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Peter Schmeichel – 108 games

Peter Schmeichel’s name regularly comes into the conversation of football’s greatest ever goalkeepers, such was the Dane’s impact during a golden era of success for Manchester United.

Rarely has a goalkeeper provided such an intimidating presence for opposition forwards, the gigantic yet mobile frame of Schmeichel producing some breathtaking saves and moments of agility during a trophy-laden period at Old Trafford.

He won five league titles and played a crucial role in the club’s historic treble-winning season in 1999, Schmeichel a yardstick to which even modern goalkeepers are compared and one of the very best to have adorned the gloves in English football.

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Ederson – 106 games

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Ederson’s clean sheet against Brighton took the Brazilian to 50 Premier League clean sheets in just 106 appearances since signing for Manchester City, the 26-year-old the third-fastest goalkeeper to reach the half century landmark.

The former Benfica goalkeeper has played a crucial role in a record-breaking period for Pep Guardiola’s side, helping the club to back-to-back league titles and the first domestic treble in English football history.

Ederson’s sweeper-keeper style and incredible passing range has seen the City star redefine the goalkeeping position, acting as a deep-lying playmaker in Guardiola’s side with his ability to pick out teammates with pinpoint long passes.

Pepe Reina – 92 games

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Jerzy Dudek’s Champions League final heroics in Istanbul were not enough to convince Rafael Benitez of his credentials at Liverpool, with the Spaniard moving to sign compatriot Pepe Reina from Villarreal ahead of his second season on Merseyside.

Reina quickly showed he was one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, establishing himself as a fine fit for Benitez’s well-organised and defensively strong side, winning three consecutive Golden Glove awards.

He registered 50 clean sheets in just 92 league appearances and became a firm fans’ favourite at Anfield, Reina possessing the best clean sheet-per-game ratio of any goalkeeper to have kept more than a century of Premier League shut-outs.

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Petr Cech – 82 games

A cornerstone of an emerging force in English football, Petr Cech starred in a Chelsea side who established themselves as a powerhouse of the Premier League amid the backing of Roman Abramovich.

Cech signed from French side Rennes and played a hugely influential role in securing back-to-back league titles under the guidance of Jose Mourinho, their drought-breaking first title triumph secured with an all-time record low of just 15 goals conceded.

Tall, brave and almost always well positioned, Cech seemed to have no weaknesses as a modern goalkeeper and incredibly took just 82 games to reach 50 clean sheets, whilst winning four league titles and the Champions League amongst his wealthy collection of major honours.

He later joined London rivals Arsenal and helped the Gunners to FA Cup success, Cech finishing his career with a huge 202 Premier League clean sheets – the highest total in the history of the division.

Read – Every goalkeeper to have reached 100 clean sheets in the Premier League

Read Also – The five Premier League teams with the most consecutive clean sheets

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