Was Emi Martinez’s save against Nottingham Forest the best of the Premier League era?

December 17, 2024 WOL

Emi Martinez’s save from Nottingham Forest’s Nicolas Dominguez was arguably the best we have seen in the Premier League this season.

Alan Smith, commentating for Sky Sports, dubbed it “miraculous”, which does a slight disservice to changing water into wine, but you get what he’s saying.

Jamie Redknapp said he couldn’t think “of a better Premier League save in my life”, although those last three words felt a little unnecessary.

Anyway, it’s cued up on the video below and, you’ll likely agree, it was great.

But how did it compare with other great saves in the Premier League era?

Saves are much harder to remember than goals, so let The Athletic jog your memory.

The Premier League congratulated itself for existing in 2012 when it ran the Premier League 20 Seasons Awards.

There was a bit of recency bias among the winners, what with Wayne Rooney winning best goal for his shinned overhead kick for Manchester United a year earlier, while 2011-12 was named best season and Nemanja Vidic was voted into the all-star 20-year team.

Gordon’s save against Bolton was fresh in the memory too, but it’s hard to argue against it winning the 2012 award and it stands up very well today.

Zat Knight is only a couple of yards out when he forcefully prods the ball goalwards.

Gordon sticks out an arm…

And claws it over the bar. Points off because it was only from Zat Knight, but still, tremendous save.

Everton’s 1-0 win over Chelsea in May 2022 was iconic in a number of ways: Richarlison celebrated his winning goal with a blue flare, Everton’s victory at a feral Goodison Park went some way to keeping them in the Premier League, and Pickford produced a memorable diving save from Cesar Azpilicueta.

After Mason Mount’s shot hit the post, a sprawling Pickford was outside of the width of his posts as the ball headed to Azpilicueta…

Pickford immediately recognised the danger and curved his sprint behind the goalline to give himself extra room to make the impending save…

… and he has to adjust his body to dive to his right after running slightly past the angle.

“I’ve had worse,” he said after. Oh Jordan, you joker.

The most cat-like save on our list. James is caught short, sorting out Portmouth’s wall, on the opposite side of his goal when referee Uriah Rennie tells Gareth Barry he can take a quick free kick.

James sprints across his goal and dives at full stretch to tip the ball around the post.

Peter Schmeichel, Manchester United vs Liverpool, 1993

Pure reflexology from the OG PL GK (original gangster Premier League goalkeeper).

GO DEEPER

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It’s a story as old as time; attacker versus goalkeeper, one-v-one, powerful shot, strong save. And there is no better example in Premier League history.

Schmeichel’s left wrist is stronger than steel, forged from working as a cleaner in an old people’s home in his youth.

Don Hutchison shouts “f***” and puts his head in his hands. It’s an appropriate reaction.

There are two good indicators that a special save has just happened:

1) Fans make a goal celebration noise but then just cut to stunned silence; or

2) Players put their head in their hands.

Four Swansea players do this after Joe Hart’s save from Federico Fernandez in 2015.

What preceded their reaction was an acrobatic save of the very highest quality. Fernandez’s header is directed towards the corner…

But Hart fingertips it over the bar.

Miguel Almiron absolutely harrumphs this volley like his life depends on it…

But Alisson unleashes his inner Gandalf and almost screams, “You shall not pass!” with a save that almost defies gravity and physics.

Cudicini let in four goals in this game, a humdinger of a 4-4 thriller at the old White Hart Lane, but he also produced one of the finest saves of the Premier League era.

Tottenham’s Dimitar Berbatov, with a free shot from 12 yards, should obviously score, but when he lines up his attempt Cudicini’s weight is heading left…

… but he adjusts his body and sticks out an almighty right paw to somehow block it.

Probably the save with the quickest reaction time on our list.

Arsenal’s Leno had just blocked from Christian Eriksen, but the ball was headed out to Moussa Sissoko who thwacked it full pelt from the edge of the box.

With two players in the way, Leno can only see the ball at the last millisecond…

But sticks out a hand to divert it over.

Ian Wright tweeted the word ‘Leno’ with several clapping emojis. Can’t say fairer than that.

Right, please leave your “I can’t believe X save was included, I could have saved that” and “Why isn’t X save on the list, I’m unsubscribing” comments below. Cheers.