Vicente Guaita will be a key performer for Crystal Palace this season, highlighted by his inclusion in Sky Sports‘ first Power Rankings of the season.
The top 50 list is a way of gauging which top flight players are in the best form, with Manchester City star Raheem Sterling topping the pile after week one of the campaign, following a hat-trick away to West Ham.
Guaita is the only Palace representative, sitting 46th, either side of fellow goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel (45th) and the Dane’s Leicester teammate Ricardo Pereira (47th).
Read Crystal Palace Verdict
Palace’s first choice ‘keeper kept a clean-sheet at home to Everton last Saturday, making a positive start to the season on a personal level.
It further vindicated Roy Hodgson’s decision to make Guaita his go-to man between the sticks ahead of Wayne Hennessey.
The 32-year-old has been a shrewd acquisition ever since arriving from La Liga outfit Getafe last summer, making 25 appearances to date.
He scooped two Man of the Match awards last season, as per WhoScored, and should be a regular under Hodgson from this point on.
Every good team is marshalled by a top class stopper, and although Guaita isn’t elite in his position, he is one of the best outside the Premier League’s ‘big six’.
It will interesting to see if the Spaniard can retain his place in the top 50 after this weekend, with Palace visiting Sheffield United on Sunday afternoon.
