Ederson has been described as utterly crucial to Manchester City's era of dominance by former Cityzens' goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Schmeichel talks up Brazilian's qualitiesEderson considered move to SPL'One of City's most important players'WHAT HAPPENED?
Ederson was heavily linked with a move away from City to the Saudi Pro League over the summer although he has since declared he will be remaining at the Etihad Stadium. And Schmeichel, who ended his career with City, believes that is a huge boost to Pep Guardiola's side.
AdvertisementWHAT SCHMEICHEL SAID
"I think Ederson is one of Man City's most important players, if you take him out I find it difficult to see how they can be so dominant," Schmeichel told GOAL. "Yes he's been injured and maybe [Stefan] Ortega has come in and done really well. Maybe Ortega is somebody who can play ahead of Ederson, but with all the respect to Ortega, no one is Ederson, noone uses their feet better than Ederson does."
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Ederson had a compelling battle with City's reserve goalkeeper Stefan Ortega last season, with the German being frequently called upon due to the Brazilian's injury troubles. Ortega thrived in Ederson's absence and made a Premier League title-winning save against Son Heung-min in City's penultimate game of the season. However, Schmeichel still believes Ederson is irreplaceable.
"People focus on the work he does with his feet, and it's the best in the business. They never talk about how good a goalkeeper he is, because he really is a fantastic goalkeeper. So any team that loses somebody like Ederson are gonna lose out. It doesn't matter who the No. 2 is. I know people will say Ortega came in and did really well, yeah fine. But to come in for two or five games, it's different to playing 55 or 60 games per season."
'LETHAL PASSING'
"The way Man City play, if they're lucky enough to have teams being brave and pushing up against them, then he's lethal," added Schmeichel, who was talking on behalf of , who today launch their Official Premier League Trading Card game . "He's got the pass that can cut through a team, I'm not necessarily talking about the 50-yard pass, just a 12-yard pass straight up the middle, a lot of goalkeepers are straying away from doing them but just with one pass he's by-passing four or five players. I've never seen anybody do that."