Among some huge stops at pivotal moments this season, there is a new leading contender for save of the season…
We’ve seen some awful football in the Premier League this seasonbut amid the dross, there have been some moments of shot-stopping genius.
Not just incredible acts of cat-ery, but at massive moments too.
We’ve whittled down all the brilliant saves in the Premier League this season to the top six, the context of all of them amplifying the quality…
6) Aaron Ramsdale – Newcastle 2-1 Man Utd
The scene: 89th minute at St James’ Park with Newcastle, on a wretched run and down to 10 men, finally under sustained pressure with Manchester United seeking a winner. Ramsdale, in the Toon side for a rare Premier League appearance and given the chance to displace Nick Pope as Newcastle’s No.1, has already made one very fine save to keep out Leny Yoro’s close-range header.
The save: Joshua Zirkzee picked the ball up 30 yards from goal and thought ‘f*** it’. His shot, carrying little spin on a haphazard flight path makes any big, early movement from Ramsdale a risk. His only option: to wait to pick up the flight before shifting late and fast. With precision timing, the Newcastle keeper micro-steps into take-off, thrusting his closest hand while arching slightly back, not only to get a full hand behind the ball but to divert it off its dangerous course.
The consequence: Newcastle defend the corner then send William Osula away on the break to score a winning goal to match the save that gave the Magpies the stage to secure an unlikely and much-needed win.
The reaction:
“That’s an unbelievable save. It looks even better on TV than it did live.”
Eddie Howe
Aaron Ramsdale with a heroic goalkeeping performance for @NUFC 💫 pic.twitter.com/D0qPUW0jEo
— Premier League (@premierleague) March 5, 2026
5) Martin Dubravka – Wolves 2-3 Burnley
The scene: Molineux, the clocks have just gone back, and Wolves are still without a win against a Burnley side in dire need of points against their relegation rivals. The Clarets have just scored in the 95th minute to go 3-2 up for what could be a massive win. Wolves kick off and immediately pile forward…
The save: The hosts hoik the ball into the box, with Jorgen Strand Larsen’s delightful touch teeing up Santiago Bueno 12 yards out, to the right of goal. His left-foot shot, knee over the ball, could not really be hit sweeter. It’s arrowing inside the near post. The old cliche doesn’t apply here – Dubravka had little to no right to reach it. Contorting his closest leg – neither sweeping it nor stepping with it – the Slovakian thrusts down a left hand, not only to keep it out but to kill it, preventing any rebound.
The consequence: The reaction of his team-mates closest to the scene highlight the quality and importance of the save. It got Burnley over the line, keeping Wolves winless while the Clarets climbed to 16th with five points’ breathing space between themselves and the bottom three, an advantage they quickly chucked away.
The reaction:
“Incredible. It felt like time stopped. I think it felt like it for all of us. Obviously, at that moment, we score and they’re going to hit it into an area. It falls to the boy and yeah, deep breath moment and you always judge keepers in big, big moments, they pull off big saves in big moments. It was an incredible save and he’s been absolutely first-class for us.”
Scott Parker
4) Gianluigi Donnarumma – Liverpool 1-2 Man City
The scene: Anfield, the ninth minute of seven initially added is about to tick over with City having just gone 2-1 up amid a frankly ridiculous finale. Liverpool have chucked Virgil van Dijk forward…
The save: Van Dijk beats Erling Haaland to Ryan Gravenberch’s hit and hope, the ball falling to Alexis Mac Allister. He chests it down and, on the bounce, volleys towards goal. It might not have bothered Donnarumma quite so much had Ruben Dias not turned his back to the shot, the massive coward. The deflection propels a loopy ball towards Donnarumma’s right corner, forcing the big Italian to seek more depth before loading up the right leg and pushing off, all in the blink of an eye. Arching his massive frame, he gets a big paw behind the ball, parrying it harmlessly into the Kop.
The consequence: City, who trailed with 83 minutes gone, see out the win, amid some even-later VAR nonsense, to keep the title race alive. They go to within six points of Arsenal while Pep Guardiola pats himself on the back for taking the chance to buy Donnarumma when he had the chance, even if he had James Trafford right there.
The reaction:
“I saw that it was a deflection and I said, ‘Goal’. My first reaction was goal. And after, sometimes when you are lucky, the mum and dad make you so big and so huge, you can make that save. I think he can make that save because he’s so big, or you have incredible pace in your energy in jumping.”
Pep Guardiola
🧤 @donnarumma‘s stunning stop against Liverpool has been nominated for the February @premierleague Save of the Month 🛡️
Vote for him here 🗳️ https://t.co/MfQRQdnlKW pic.twitter.com/XE0IUu5q5k
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 5, 2026
3) David Raya – Arsenal 2-1 Brighton
The scene: Into the final 15 minutes at the Emirates, in the no-man’s-land between Christmas and New Year, with Arsenal hanging on against a Brighton side who just won’t die.
The save: In a rare outbreak of football at the EmiratesBrighton’s neat build up tees up Yankuba Minteh to the right of the box. Raya moves left into line and sets as Minteh goes to curl one into the far corner. The Brighton winger’s execution is faultless, giving Raya no time for a power step into his dive. Instead, the Spain keeper pushes off his outside foot, while the closest foot to the ball comes in to the line of his body to provide extra ascent. A decision: top hand or closest? Raya opts to lead with the right paw, meaning he can get underneath the ball to guide it above the bar.
The consequence: Arsenal hold firm to reclaim top spot after City had edged ahead earlier in the day.
The reaction:
“It was sensational. I had a great angle on it. That’s what we need from players, we need those performances in the key moments.”
Mikel Arteta
2) Jordan Pickford – Newcastle 2-3 Everton
The scene: Added time at St James’ Park and Newcastle are trailing 3-2 in a game between two sides in need of points and an uplift…
The save: Michael Keane gets decent height and distance on his defensive header, clearing the box but landing in a central area on the edge of the D. Suddenly, Sandro Tonali bursts into shot and strikes a volley as sweet as can be. Even if it’s straight at your average keeper, the pace either beats him or buries him in the net, but it’s rocketing to Pickford’s right. He sets late as the ball drops on Tonali’s laces and instinctively pushes off. The power on the ball ought to take Pickford’s hand off at the wrist but, somehow, the England No.1 gets enough behind it to push it up, on to the bar, and into the disbelieving Gallowgate End.
The consequence: Being denied at the death is tough enough for Toon to take, but the sight of Pickford flexing before their favourite Mackem makes off with three points boils all the p*ss on Tyneside.
The reaction:
“The best save I’ve ever seenI don’t know how he’s pulled it off. We know how much of a top goalkeeper he is. When he does things like that it’s magic.”
Jarrad Branthwaite
1) Antonin Kinsky – Tottenham 1-1 Leeds
The scene: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 98th minute, Spurs are pushing for a huge winner, all the while their fans fear the concession of another goal to Leeds and the p*ssing away of at least one vital point in the relegation battle.
The save: Sean Longstaff passes wide to James Justin and continues his burst into the box, the ball returned to the Leeds midfielder through the legs of Kevin Danso. Longstaff is at the corner of the six-yard box by the time he plants his right foot to shoot with his left. Kinsky has already made one big decision: to hold, not rush. Some keepers might have sought to close down Longstaff to make the goal behind him seem smaller, but doing so would cut reaction time. And Kinsky seems to recognise that Micky van de Van is getting across to at least partially cover the far post.
So the Spurs keeper holds – not as easy as it sounds, especially amid the frantic high stakes – and sets. That’s important too. He doesn’t get too low, nor does he bank on a block being enough, as too many keepers do now. Forwards have sussed that, and often now go high inside the near post, which Longstaff attempts. Kinsky, though, stays up and not only gets a right hand on the ball – miraculous in itself – but enough force behind it to divert up and on to the bar. Which enhances even more the aesthetic of a brilliant, crucial save.
The consequence: Spurs don’t lose, nor does their fragile morale take an enormous hit before they go to Chelsea next week, one point better off than they would have been in a relegation battle that threatens to go to the wire.
The reaction:
“That save is one of the saves of the season. Football is an absolute rollercoaster and who would have thought he would ever play for Tottenham again – and then he does that. You would have to have a heart of stone if you weren’t delighted for him. Everyone thought his career was over but that save can be the moment that keeps Tottenham in the Premier League.”
Jamie Carragher
What a save from Kinsky?! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/H2EelIT1L9
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 11, 2026
