David de Gea was lauded as the best goalkeeper in the world following his heroics in Manchester United's win at Arsenal.

The Spaniard made a string of superb saves at the Emirates including a double stop to deny Alexandre Lacazette and Alexis Sanchez.

Jose Mourinho rightly hailed his No.1 afterwards as United kept the pressure on rivals Manchester City.

With Manuel Neuer sidelined, it would appear De Gea is the standout goalkeeper in world football at the moment.

De Gea makes a stunning save (
Image:
Getty)
The Spaniard was excellent at Arsenal (
Image:
Getty Images Europe)

But where does he rank compared to the greats that have graced the Premier League?

Our reporters have had their say on the top-flight's finest shot-stoppers.

Andy Dunn - Peter Schmeichel

Schmeichel gestures (
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Getty Images)

Not really sure there can be much debate. It was not just his five Premier Leagues, his three FA Cups and his Champions League, it was his presence and his aura.

Schmeichel did not have the agility of a De Gea but he had a character that defined Sir Alex Ferguson’s all-conquering team.

Intimidating and arrogant, he set the tone.

Throw in the fact he has also sired a Premier League winner and the argument is closed.

Matt Lawless - Peter Schmeichel

The Great Dane celebrates (
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Getty)

It has to be Peter Schmeichel for me. Five Premier League titles tells you everything you need to know.

As a personal favourite, however, it has to be the ‘big boy’ who came ‘from near Moscow’: Ludek Miklosko.

They still chant his name in the stands at West Ham (let’s face it, there hasn’t been an awful lot else to sing about).

Ludek Miklosko and Jimmy Walker (
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Arfa Griffiths)

Ludo won 40 caps for his native Czechoslovakia and two for Czech Republic.

He didn’t win anything with West Ham (nobody has since 1980) but he stopped Manchester United winning the title in 1995 and forever remains a claret and blue cult hero.

Honourable mentions should be made for David Seaman, Nigel Martyn (what a keeper he was for Leeds) and Jens Lehman - the only Invincible goalkeeper in the history of the Premier League.

Hamish Mackay - David Seaman

Seaman's stunning save against Sheffield United (
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Getty)

When most fans think of David Seaman they picture him in tears at the 2002 World Cup after Ronaldinho's looping free-kick had killed English dreams for another four years. That image, though, does him a disservice.

Seaman is the Premier League's greatest goalkeeper. That's a fact. Peter Schmeichel comes in at close second but the Dane did not produce as consistently or for as long as Seaman did at Arsenal.

The Rotherham-born moustachioed stopper produced countless moments of goalkeeping brilliance throughout his career with a highlight reel dreamier than that pony tail.

He also rarely gets the credit he deserves for his role in helping to organise the most lauded back four of the modern era.

Mike Walters - Peter Schmeichel

Peter Schmeichel reacts (
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Getty)

With respect to Petr Cech, David Seaman and Edwin van der Sar, who were all magnificent influences on title-winning teams, there is one goalkeeper who stands out because he was the missing piece in the jigsaw, the man who made a difference.

Until Peter Schmeichel arrived at Manchester United, the holy grail was teasing Sir Alex Ferguson like a mirage in the desert. United could play, but they didn't have a No.1 who looked unbeatable - Fergie even dropped Jim Leighton for the 1990 FA Cup final replay.

Schmeichel gave them a physical presence, he gave his defenders a flea in their ears... and he gave them the look of champions. Eric Cantona may have added a dash of je-ne-sais-quoi further up the pitch, but it was the Great Dane who kept the back door shut while King Eric chased his seagulls and trawlers.

Schmeichel flies through the air (
Image:
Darren Walsh)

And when his work was done, after United won the Treble in 1999, Schmeichel even bequeathed English football his son to win the title at Leicester.

If you want a real left-field alternative, there aren't many keepers who have won the title at two different clubs. Any takers for John Lukic?

Liam Prenderville - Petr Cech

Petr Cech was outstanding for Chelsea (
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Action Images / Alan Walter)

His form may have dipped in recent years but for me, Petr Cech takes this one.

Cech's impact upon the Chelsea team was enormous as they romped to their first ever title under Jose Mourinho.

He was helped by an excellent defence that shipped just 37 goals in his first two seasons in the Premier League - but Cech was superb as Chelsea dominated English football.

The Gunners stopper (
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Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Two more league titles followed as did the Champions League, with Cech saving a penalty from Arjen Robben in the final, before moving to Arsenal.

The Czech's recovery from a fractured skull to return within a matter of months emphasised his character off the pitch, too.

A real Premier League legend.

Adrian Kajumba - Peter Schmeichel

Peter Schmeichel celebrates at Man City (
Image:
Getty Images Sport)

Peter Schmeichel. Just. Schmeichel is the best goalkeeper I've seen in my lifetime but David De Gea is getting closer and closer by the season.

Schmeichel redefined the position during his career with his dominance of his box, the speed of his distribution to launch counter attacks, star shaped saves and ability to intimidate strikers in one-on-ones.

He was one of few goalkeepers actually worth watching a game for and not just someone there to stop the fun of goals being scored.

De Gea, who has been the best in Europe for some time, is similar in that sense.

De Gea plays the ball long (
Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

Also, like De Gea, Schmeichel made acrobatic saves that defied logic and he had no right to make, especially in his case, for someone with his huge frame.

Being hyper, hyper critical, De Gea lacks the presence and personality to rule his penalty area like Schmeichel did.

De Gea is also unlucky that he is playing in a United side who are nowhere near as dominant as Schmeichel's teams were and the league titles the Dane's heroics helped the club win are one thing that separates them.

Schmeichel has five, De Gea has one. The Spaniard, who arrived in England at 20, has time on his side, though. He turned 27 last month, the age Schmeichel was when he joined United.

Mark Jones - Jens Lehmann

Jens Lehmann

This debate shouldn't just be about how long you were in the Premier League for, but also how much of an impact you made when you were in it.

Arsenal's German stopper played in every game of the 'Invincibles' season, conceding the fewest amount of goals in that historic campaign as he laid the foundations for the attacking players in front of him to shine.

A fearsome competitor who clearly inspired the defenders in front of him, he also scared opposition forwards too, and Arsene Wenger's decision to recruit him as a replacement for the departed David Seaman has to be one of the best decisions of his Arsenal reign.

David Anderson - Peter Schmeichel

Schmeichel starred for United (
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Getty)

As fine a goalkeeper David De Gea undoubtedly is, he has some way to go to claim the crown as the Premier League’s finest.

Peter Cech stands above him, while, for me, Peter Schmeichel still reigns supreme.

Perhaps the passing of time has dulled some of the memories of Schmeichel dominating his goal for Manchester United and it is nearly 20 years since he quit Old Trafford.

But he has an integral part of Fergie’s success story in the 1990s.

Schmeichel clashes with Ian Wright (
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Allsport)

Along with Eric Cantona, he won United the Double in 1995-96, pulling off world-class saves at one end, while the mercurial Frenchman was bagging winners at the other.

He was a colossal figure in goal for opponents, both physically and mentally. He gave off such an aura of invincibility that opponents would miss because they doubted that they could beat him.

Schmeichel was a huge personality in the United dressing room and was a natural leader, barking instructions to his centre-halves, be it Bruce and Pallister, or Stam and Johnsen.

The Dane in his younger years (
Image:
Getty Images)

The Great Dane also recovered to enjoy a wonderful end to his United career, culminating in him captaining them to the Champions League in 1999 to complete the Treble.

He knew his powers were beginning to wane after a number of uncharacteristic mistakes in the autumn of 1998, but, with Fergie’s help, rallied to be magnificent for United in the second half of that campaign as they swept all before them.

Yes, De Gea is pretty special, but he’s not quite at Schmeichel’s level yet.

Jake Polden - Edwin van der Sar

Van der Sar is mobbed (
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Getty)

Edwin van der Sar's career looked all but finished in 2001 when Juventus made Gianluigi Buffon the most expensive goalkeeper in the world and shipped the lanky Dutchman out to newly-promoted Premier League side, Fulham.

But the shot-stopper, in my opinion, remains Fulham's greatest ever purchase, and at £7million, an absolute bargain.

The Holland international went from strength to strength at Craven Cottage, where he re-built his confidence and kept the Whites in the division for their first four seasons.

Arguably his greatest moment came in a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa during his final campaign in south west London, where he saved two Juan Pablo Angel penalties in the same game.

Van der Sar makes a flying save (
Image:
Getty)

Sir Alex Ferguson later came calling and took van der Sar to Manchester United, were he formed an impenetrable back-three core with Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand.

He was integral to the Red Devils winning both the Premier League and Champions League in 2008 - let's not forget he single-handedly clinched the latter by saving Nicholas Anelka's penalty in the final shoot-out against Chelsea.

Reflecting on van der Sar's impact on his Manchester United team, Ferguson famously admitted he should have signed him six years earlier than he did, meaning no one at Old Trafford since Peter Schmeichel even came close to lacing the Dutchman's boots.

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