EDOUARD MENDY has set a Premier League record after becoming the ONLY goalkeeper to have kept a clean sheet in over half of his matches.
Frank Lampard fought with club brass to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer after losing faith in Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Edouard Mendy boasts the best clean sheet record in PL history
And the sacked boss’ decision has been proven to be a good one, with Thomas Tuchel now reaping the rewards.
Still early in his Premier League career, Mendy – for now, at least – is the best goalkeeper in division history in terms of clean sheets.
Of the 210 goalkeepers to have played at least ten top-flight matches, NONE boast a better clean sheets ratio than the Senegalese ace.
Mendy has kept 12 clean sheets in just 22 matches – most-recently in the 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield on Thursday night.
That means Mendy has shut an opponent out in 55 per cent of his games – with no other stopper breaking the 50 per cent mark historically.
Ex-Arsenal stopper Emiliano Martinez – now Aston Villa No1 – has kept clean sheets in exactly 50 per cent of his 38 games (19).
Manchester City star Ederson boasts an incredibly strong return, too.
The Brazilian has kept 67 clean sheets in 135 games at a touch under 50 per cent, with the huge sample size only making that figure more impressive.
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Tuchel is indebted to predecessor Lampard for bringing Mendy to West LondonCredit: Reuters
Ex-Gunners back-up stopper Alex Manninger managed to keep clean sheets in 47 per cent of his 38 games (18).
And former Manchester United stopper Anders Lindegaard also achieved a 47 per cent clean sheet rate, with nine in 19 games.
But while Mendy’s stats have been impressive in his debut season, a huge amount of credit must go to the defence.
After all, Liverpool mustered just one shot on target on Thursday, with Mendy a bystander for much of the game.
N’Golo Kante was unstoppable as he kept the Reds at arm’s length for the full 90 minutes.
But Andreas Christensen was also a rock in place of the injured Thiago Silva – with Tuchel reserving praise for both after the victory on Merseyside.
Tuchel says he is very very happy after Chelsea’s defeat of Liverpool as he knows what it takes
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
