Another Premier League season is now in the history books, and 2020-21 will go down as perhaps the most unique yet having been played amid a global pandemic, mostly behind closed doors and very briefly amid a Super League storm which threatened the very future of the competition.
Here, the Sports Mole team select who they believe should be the Premier League's Goalkeeper of the Season.
Barney Corkhill, Editor: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
© Reuters
The Golden Gloves winner is always a frontrunner for this award, and Ederson is no different this year, particularly when you factor in his ball-playing ability too, while the impact Edouard Mendy had on Chelsea also deserves to be recognised.
However, while they topped the way in terms of clean sheets, both had far less to do than Emiliano Martinez, whose arrival at Villa Park is a major reason why Aston Villa turned into top-half contenders from relegation battlers last season.
The Argentine faced 189 shots throughout the course of the campaign and saved 141 of those, compared to only 66 saves and 57 saves from Ederson and Mendy respectively.
Matt Law, Football Editor: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
It would have been easy to choose Ederson in this category, but Martinez's form for Villa has been excellent.
The 28-year-old kept 15 Premier League clean sheets in 2020-21, with only Ederson and Edouard Mendy posting better numbers in that particular category.
Villa deserve huge credit for claiming 11th position in the table, and there is no question that Martinez was a key contributor.
Darren Plant, Senior Reporter: Edouard Mendy (Chelsea)
© Reuters
When you look back at Edouard Mendy's first season at Chelsea, you won't remember many eye-catching saves.
However, just like Dias at Man City, Chelsea would not have achieved their target in the Premier League this season without the Senegalese's arrival.
The 29-year-old kept 16 clean sheets from 31 appearances, something which was necessary with the club's forward line squandering chances on a weekly basis.
Dan Lewis, Senior Reporter: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Martinez ended the 2019-20 season in good form for Arsenal and has maintained that at Villa this season after being let go by the Gunners.
He has sent a number of club records tumbling this season in terms of clean sheets and, given Villa's improvement this term before dropping off, I believe he's made the biggest impact of any goalkeeper.
Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
© Reuters
Former Arsenal shot-stopper Emiliano Martinez has justified every penny of his £20m price tag in between the Aston Villa sticks.
The Argentine's 15 clean sheets is a testament to his lightning-quick reflexes and exemplary handling, and more international opportunities are surely on the horizon for the late bloomer.
Oliver Thomas, Reporter: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
A brilliant campaign for Aston Villa saw them transform from a relegation-threatened side last year into a top-10 contender this season. Villa were never looking over their shoulders this time around and the influence goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had was a huge factor behind this.
The Argentine, who joined the club from Arsenal last summer, made 141 saves and kept 15 clean sheets this term, the third most in the Premier League and equalling a club record previously set by Brad Friedel.
Dean Smith's side went from having the second-leakiest defence in the Premier League last season, to the third-best in the division this campaign and that is testament to the impact Martinez made.
Jonathan O'Shea, Reporter: Ederson (Manchester City)
© Reuters
Near-flawless goalkeeping allied to exquisite long-range playmaking from in around his penalty area has elevated the brilliant Brazilian above even several other deserving contenders.
Brett Curtis, Reporter: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Easy one for me, this. Ederson and Alisson are the best two goalkeepers in the division, but the former's shot stopping can be a little suspect at times, while the latter has had some tough moments this season despite bouncing back magnificently in recent months.
Martinez, on the other hand, has been a rock all season long, with no goalkeeper boasting a better save percentage ratio.
Only Man City and Chelsea have kept more clean sheets than Aston Villa this season, which is a huge upturn from where they were when narrowly surviving last season. Signing Martinez is the main reason for that, and Arsenal may rue letting him go.
Olly Allen, Reporter: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
© Reuters
Martinez proved his worth at Arsenal last season and now he has cemented his place as one of the best goalkeepers in the league.
His 15 clean sheets is the third-most in the top flight, but the Argentinian arguably deserves more credit as he faces more shots than his counterparts higher up the table. That is testament to his brilliant shot-stopping ability.
Sam Varley, Reporter: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
Martinez arrived at Villa Park with high expectations after a strong finish to last season, and the Argentinian has exceeded those with some fantastic performances between the sticks, keeping 15 clean sheets thanks to some inspired performances.
Francis Buchanan, Reporter: Ederson (Manchester City)
© Reuters
Nineteen clean sheets speak for themselves really. Sometimes I feel like Ederson does not get the plaudits he deserves because there so many fantastic keepers in the Premier League at the moment.
Guardiola's City have been this incredible jigsaw puzzle that I am sure has given Pep a lot of headaches over the years, but Ederson may be one of the most crucial pieces of that puzzle.
He offers the team so much in terms of generating attacks and I think this season he really proved why he is the best in the league.
Joshua Ojele, Reporter: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
After several loan exits during his decade-long stay at Arsenal, 28-year-old Emiliano Martinez permanently moved to Aston Villa last summer.
The Argentine turned the Villans into a defensive juggernaut as they conceded 46 goals all season, the best record of any bottom-half team.
He finished the season with 15 clean sheets, falling only behind Manchester City's Ederson and Chelsea's Edouard Mendy, who finished with 19 and 16 respectively.
Marvelous Adepoju, Reporter: Edouard Mendy (Chelsea)
© Reuters
Mendy was brought in to replace the largely unreliable Kepa Arrizabalaga and has excelled since his move from Rennes.
The Senegalese kept more clean sheets than any other Premier League goalkeeper bar Ederson despite missing seven of the 38 games.
