Goalkeepers aren't just another member of a football's squad. They're the last point of contact for the ball; they can often decide the fate of games by their heroics - or villainy - within the sticks.
At one of the world's biggest clubs, Liverpool, several shotstoppers have made a name for themselves registering historic numbers of clean sheets throughout their long stay at Anfield. If you've seen Alison Becker's recent heroics and have been wondering if there has ever been a comparable or better goalkeeper at Anfield, this post has you covered.
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Ray Clemence
Clemence played more than 650 games for Liverpool and missed just six, between the time he took the great Lawrence’s place in 1970 to the moment he left for Tottenham after the 1981 European Cup Final win against Real Madrid in Paris. His stay ended with a thud, after five league titles, three European Cups, two UEFA Cups with a League Cup and FA Cup forever etched against his name.
The security Clemence provided at the back was invaluable, essentially offering the team a risk-free foundation to build upon. Similarly, those looking for a head start in other forms of entertainment often seek out a cash no deposit bonus from review pages like https://pl.polskiesloty.com/darmowa-kasa-za-rejestracje-bez-depozytu/ to explore new platforms without any upfront commitment. Just as Clemence was a reliable asset for the Reds, these types of incentives provide a solid, no-cost starting point for those wanting to try something new.
The 1978/79 season arguably saw Clemence - and his Liverpool side - at his best. Clemence conceded just 16 goals during a 42-game league season and kept 28 clean sheets. Two summers later, and while sitting in the Parc de Princes dressing room after a third European Cup win, he concluded it was time to go after sealing 323 clean sheets in 665 games (and a 48.57% clean sheet rate).
Bruce Grobbelaar
South African-born Zimbabwe international Bruce Grobbelaar joined Liverpool in 1981 and would go on to be one of the most successful African goalkeepers in EPL history. Bruce Grobbelaar’s best season was undoubtedly 1983-84, when he played a record 67 matches, helping Liverpool secure an incredible treble: the First Division title, the League Cup, and the European Cup.
He also made acclaim ahead of his 1984 European Cup triumph for the now-famous “wobbly-legged” penalty heroics that handed Liverpool the 1984 European Cup. After 628 appearances for Liverpool, Grobbelaar left the side in 1994 after 267 clean sheets in 628 games (42.52% clean sheet rate), alongside six league titles, one European Cup, one FA Cup, and three League Cups.
Pepe Reina
Jose Manuel Reina developed into one of the world's most reliable shotstoppers and helped in cementing Liverpool's status as a force to be reckoned with domestically and in Europe. Reina, who commonly goes by the nickname Pepe, had been the best goalkeeper in La Liga and was joining this Merseyside with so much pedigree.
Fortunately for him, he'd live up to his reputation and would soon begin smashing a collection of Anfield records after being signed by Rafael Benitez in July 2005. Among other records, Pepe holds a Liverpool record for the fewest goals conceded by a goalkeeper in his first 50 matches.
On 3 December 2005, Reina kept his sixth consecutive clean sheet against Wigan Athletic in the EPL, to surpass David James's record of five games, from the 1996–97 season. Reina's run stretched eight league games, when James Beattie scored for Everton in Liverpool's 3–1 Merseyside derby win on 28 December 2005.
While he spent the next eight years of his career in Liverpool, many might describe his first year at the club as his most legendary, considering the records he set. After 394 starts and 177 clean sheets (44.92% clean sheet rate), Pepe left Liverpool with one FA Cup, one League Cup, and one UEFA Super Cup.
Elisha Scott
Have you ever wondered who Liverpool's longest-serving player is? Elisha Scott has your answer. Standing out among the club's player history, Scott's career spanned 21 years and 51 days. He made his debut in 1913, and would remain a notable force for Liverpool between the sticks till 1934.
Everton's loss became Liverpool's gain on one of many occasions after Liverpool leveraged Everton's choice to pass up signing Scott in September 1912. Only 19-year-old at the time, hardly would anyone predict the legendary career the teenage goalkeeper would go on to have for the Reds.
Considering the era in which he achieved his heroic feat, you'd be forgiven for thinking no one else could ever thump Scott's longevity record in modern football. Nonetheless, he's deservedly one of the club's greatest goalkeepers in history, after making 468 starts with 137 clean sheet (29.27% clean sheet rate).
Alisson Becker
Liverpool's current goalkeeper Alisson Becker hasn't stopped shot of ranking among the world most formidable goalkeepers in history. Since joining Liverpool in 2008 from AS Roma, Becker has grown to become one of Liverpool so most prized goalkeepers, handing out the team multiple brilliant memories and historic heroics, including Champions League and Premier League triumphs in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
The Brazilian enjoyed an incredible debut season at Anfield after becoming an immediate starter for the Reds, initially donning the No.13 shirt. Alisson played every minute of the domestic campaign and made history becoming the club's first goalkeeper to win the EPL’s Golden Glove award in more than a decade after registering 21 clean sheets leading up to a second-placed finish with 97 points.
Becker was also crucial in helping Liverpool lift the Champions League for the sixth time. Among other feats, a crucial late save against Napoli on marchday six preserved the Reds' spot in the knockout stages of the 2018-19 competition. He'd also be remembered for being impenetrable in the Madrid final, registering a series of saves to deny Tottenham Hotspur as Jürgen Klopp's men won 2-0.
Alisson passed 200 appearances for the club in 2022-23 and in excellent personal form, across a difficult campaign collectively, earning him the Men's Player of the Season award. Considering he helped Liverpool lift the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup in one year (not to forget a personal Globe Soccer Awards recognition and a Yashin Trophy against his name over the same period), Becker's best season yet remains 2019.
The 2018/19 season saw him record a sterling 21 clean sheets in the Premier League. Becker would go on to become only the fifth goalkeeper in Liverpool history to record 100 cleansheets. Still fielding for Liverpool, Alison Becker has time to build on his impressive trophy cabinet of two Premier League titles, one Champions League triumph, one FIFA Club World Cup victory, one FA Cup trophy, and one Carabao Cup win. As of this writing, Becker has up to 135 clean sheets in at least 326 starts for Liverpool (41.41% clean sheet rate).
Honorable Mentions
Other honorable mentions among Liverpool's sterling goalkeeper history include players like Tommy Lawrence, Jerzy Dudek, and Arthur Riley.
Tommy Lawrence recorded 133 clean sheets in 390 games (34.1% clean-sheet/matches ratio) while David James recorded 102 clean sheets in 276 games (36.82%). Jerzy Dudek registered 74 clean sheets in 184 games (39.78%) while Arthur Riley had 69 clean sheets in 338 games (20.41%) for Liverpool. Lastly, Simon Mignolet recorded 65 clean sheets in 203 games (31.86%) completing a list of Liverpool's top ten clean-sheet records among its shotstoppers.
Conclusion
These players have set incredible careers for themselves - one that any goalkeeper would find a bit steep to overturn. Fortunately, for Alison Becker, there's still some time to climb up Liverpool's legendary books with more clean sheets, unforgettable saves, and trophy hauls.
