Michael O’Neill opens up about goalkeeper situation at Stoke City

Stoke City have shared goalkeeping duties out this season with both Jack Bonham and Joe Bursik taking the responsibility in goal. 

Bonham has made 15 appearances this season keeping four clean sheets whilst Bursik has made 16 appearances and kept five clean sheets putting them very much on par with one another.

Bonham played yesterday as Stoke secured a 1-0 win against Blackburn Rovers and the 28-year-old had a part to play as he pulled off an impressive save to stop Rovers from scoring towards the end of the game.

Reflecting on the performance of his goalkeeper, Stoke boss Michael O’Neill told Stoke-on-Trent Live: “It’s a brilliant save. He has that reach that gets him there. He’s got good composure and a great temperament.

“He’s done really well since he came to the club. We brought him in as a number three and over the season he’s ended up as number one.”

O’Neill is in a lucky position, spoilt for choice with goalkeepers and he has insisted the two will continue to battle it out for top spot as the season comes to an end as he said: “Him [Jack Bonham] and Joe Bursik will fight it out between now and the end of the season and they’ll fight it out at the start of next season as well.”

With three games left to go now, both goalkeepers will be keen to prove themselves as a number one.

The Verdict:

Michael O’Neill is in a lucky position as he has two top goalkeepers who are both performing well and able to step up to the plate.

It’s always beneficial to a team to have healthy competition in there and that’s definitely what the goalkeepers at Stoke provide.

With both keepers having made a very similar amount of appearances and kept a similar amount of clean sheets, the competition remains wide open and both players will no