Is Gianluigi Donnarumma to Blame for Man City Conceding More Goals Than Usual?

Gianluigi Donnarumma won the Yashin Trophy for the second time in his career at the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony.

Meanwhile, Donnarumma’s Ballon d’Or ranking of ninth means he has now finished in the top 10 of the overall vote twice, having also done so in 2021.

Although Donnarumma is considered by many to be the best goalkeeper in the world, he has not enjoyed the smoothest of starts to life in the Premier League.

Donnarumma conceded four goals on Tuesday night as Manchester City survived a Fulham fightback to win 5-4 at Craven Cottage.

That chaotic victory came three days after City had been involved in another high-scoring game, beating Leeds 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

Donnarumma has kept four clean sheets in his first 11 Premier League games for City, but he has conceded 12 goals in his other seven appearances.

Gianluigi Donnarumma’s first 11 Premier League results with Man City

Donnarumma is currently conceding 1.09 goals per game on average as a Premier League goalkeeper.

That is actually better than City’s defensive record last season, when they let in 1.16 goals per game on average.

However, 2024/25 was the first time in eight seasons that City had conceded more than one goal per Premier League game. Their tightest season defensively during that period was 2018/19, when they conceded just 23 times, at an average of 0.61 per game.

How many goals per game Man City have conceded in the Premier League by season (since 2017/18)

Donnarumma 20th in the Premier League in terms of save percentage

While Man City conceding 1.09 goals per game with Donnarumma in the team is perhaps only a modest cause for concern right now, what is more alarming is the Italian’s save percentage.

Donnarumma has kept out just 61.3% of the shots on target that he has faced so far in his Premier League career. That save percentage ranks 20th among the 29 goalkeepers to appear in the Premier League this season.

Premier League goalkeepers ranked by save percentage in 2025/26

Another issue Donnarumma has faced since moving to England is how much more physical pressure is applied to goalkeepers by opposition players at corners and free-kicks.

Donnarumma was adamant that he had been fouled by Harvey Barnes moments before he scored Newcastle’s winning goal against City on November 22. But he must learn to deal with a bit of the rough stuff because referees in the Premier League tend to offer far less protection to goalkeepers than those on the continent.

A furious Donnarumma was shown a yellow card for his excessive protestations at Newcastle. He was also booked against Arsenal, Bournemouth and Leeds, meaning he is just one more yellow away from picking up an automatic one-match suspension.

Should Pep Guardiola drop Donnarumma for James Trafford?

Should Donnarumma become unavailable due to suspension then he will likely be replaced in the City starting XI by James Trafford.

But is there an argument for Trafford to be brought in for Donnarumma without a change being enforced by the FA?

Trafford started City’s first three Premier League games of the season. Although he conceded 1.33 goals per game, he saved 11 of the 15 shots on target he faced, which is why he is still ranked No 1 in the Premier League in terms of save percentage.

Despite a costly error in the 2-0 home defeat by Tottenham in August, Trafford is also generally considered to be better than Donnarumma with his feet.

Donnarumma is a big name and a big personality. He was a teenage superstar and has been seen and treated as a world star ever since making his senior debut over a decade ago. So dropping him so early in his City career is not a decision that should be taken lightly. It could damage his relationship with Guardiola and potentially even put his long-term City future at risk.

City will hope that the issues Donnarumma has struggled with since moving to the Premier League are only teething problems and that he will soon establish himself among the best in show.

But should Donnarumma fail to adapt to Premier League life then City fans should rest easy, safe in the knowledge that they have an excellent stopper waiting in the wings.

The problem is that Trafford may not be waiting patiently. When he returned to the Etihad Stadium in July after two seasons with Burnley, Trafford had dreams of replacing Ederson as City’s No 1. Those dreams were dashed on deadline day when Donnarumma arrived from Paris Saint-Germain.

Trafford rejected Newcastle to sign for City, but he may not have made the same decision had he foreseen Donnarumma’s arrival.

Donnarumma is still only 26, while Trafford is just 23. Despite Donnarumma’s troubled start to life in the Premier League, City have two strong long-term goalkeeping options on their books – but keeping both of them happy might be one of Guardiola’s toughest balancing acts.