Best goalkeeping displays

Get to know... Hernandez

An introduction to 21-year-old striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez... Where's he from? Hernandez currently plies his trade with Chivas de Guadalajara in Mexico's Primera Division. Chivas are the most successful team in Mexican history with 11 titles. Having been at the club since the age of nine, Javier scored within five minutes of making his first-team debut, in a 4-0 win over Necaxa in 2006, and helped his side win the title that season.

Javier Hernandez Girl Friend's (Lety Sahagun)

Lety is short for Leticia. She was born in Guadalajara, Mexico to Lety Acevedo de Sahagun and Jaime Sahagun. She has three siblings Rodrigo, Jaime and Renata Sahagun. She studied at the Centro Escolar Los Altos in Zapopan, Guadalajara the school is known for its Opus Dei beliefs. After she graduated from high school she went to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon where she is studying Relaciones Internacionales which in English will be International Relations also known as International Studies at Monterrey Tec. You can check her pictures here.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Best goalkeeping displays

Sir Alex Ferguson said of Manuel Neuer: "I think, in my time at United, it's probably the finest display of goalkeeping against us. I'm sure there's other feats but tonight I saw a very good one."
It got us thinking about those "other feats" and which outstanding displays between the sticks warrant a mention.
Our initial shortlist included Neville Southall (1995 FA Cup final), Ludek Miklosko (last day of the season in 1995 - that was a bad week for facing in-form keepers!), Chris Turner (1991 League Cup final) and Brad Friedel (a variety of games but notably 2004/2005 and 2007/2008).
We asked for your suggestions on Talking Reds and here's five of the best of them. You can still join the debate and have your say.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Stefan Klos (Borussia Dortmund, 1997)This 1-0 defeat still smarts with Sir Alex as the Reds were unable to overturn a lead extended by Lars Ricken's early goal. 21 attempts on Klos' goal were recorded but, ably supported by defenders Jurgen Kohler and Stefan Reuter, the future Rangers No1 stood firm and repelled everything United could throw at him.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Paul Jones (Southampton, 1998)The hoodoo at The Dell continued as Kevin Davies made it three successive home wins for the Saints against Sir Alex's side. It was a case of hanging on to another early goal and being unable to find a way past the inspired keeper, who picked up a rating of '9' in United's official review of the season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Andy Cole were thwarted as the visitors sorely missed Teddy Sheringham.

Javier Hernandez Chicharito

Jurgen Macho (Sunderland, 2003)
After Juan Sebastian Veron's bizarre own goal, this New Year's Day fixture was turning into a disaster for the title-chasing Reds. The Austrian keeper had one of those days, a stop from Rio Ferdinand was the pick of a string of saves as United rained in 32 attempts, but he was ultimately beaten by David Beckham and Paul Scholes. The Guardian wrote: "He had the sort of performance that he might never reproduce throughout the rest of his career." They were probably right.

Tomasz Kuszczak (West Brom, 2005)
Baggies boss Bryan Robson needed to turn to the Pole when Russell Hoult went off injured and Kuszczak's performance obviously impressed Sir Alex, as he signed him a year later. The stand-in frustrated Quinton Fortune, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kleberson and Rooney to earn his side an important 1-1 draw in their battle against the drop.

Manuel Almunia (Arsenal, 2009)
What is it about goalkeepers called Manuel in Champions League semi-final first legs? The Gunners' fans may have turned against the man from Pamplona but it was only a top-class display that kept the Londoners in the tie, albeit until the early stages of the Emirates return. Rooney, Carlos Tevez and Ronaldo were all denied by the stubborn Spaniard.