VITO MANNONE is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, according to the stats.

The ex-Arsenal stopper was named Sunderland's player of the year last season. Mannone has kept summer recruit Costel Pantilimon on the sidelines this year - and the Opta figures show just why. Since the start of last season, Mannone has made more saves (154) than any other Premier League keeper. And his save percentage is better than any other in the league too. Mannone's record of keeping out 77.27 per cent of shots edges out Chelsea's Petr Cech (76.92%) and Swansea's Lukasz Fabianski (75.76%).

David De Gea impressed against Everton on Sunday, making two stunning saves to earn Manchester United a 2-1 win. But the Spaniard doesn't feature in the top 10 keepers for either saves or save percentage. He has made 114 stops since the start of last season, saving 67.88% of shots. Of the Premier League big boys, Cech's record is by far the most impressive.

To go alongside his good save percentage, he has made 37 catches, punched 12 crosses and not dropped a single one. But he's been axed by Jose Mourinho in favour of 22-year-old Belgian Thibaut Courtois. Courtois has made 13 saves (with a save percentage of 65) and caught every one of the 16 crosses he's had to deal with. Shaky Liverpool stopper Simon Mignolet has the lowest save percentage (67.03) and has dropped more crosses than any of the other top stoppers.