Alex Manninger death: Arsenal, Liverpool pay tribute to 48-year-old goalkeeper after fatal accident

Former Arsenal, Liverpool and Juventus goalkeeper Alex Manninger has tragically passed distant astatine the property of 48 pursuing a car mishap successful Austria.

On Thursday afternoon, reports emerged stating that the ex-shot-stopper had mislaid his beingness aft a bid collided with his conveyance astatine Salzburg railway station, successful the aboriginal hours of Thursday morning.

Tributes person since been flooding successful for Manninger, who has been remembered by erstwhile clubs Arsenal, Juventus and Liverpool, whom helium ended his vocation with successful the 2016-17 season.

"Liverpool FC is profoundly saddened by the passing of erstwhile goalkeeper Alex Manninger astatine the property of 48," Liverpool said. "The Austrian arrived astatine Anfield successful July 2016 to walk the last play of his lengthy playing vocation arsenic a Red. The thoughts of everyone astatine LFC are with Alex's household and friends astatine this hard time."

Meanwhile, Juventus paid tribute to Manninger's "rare values" successful an affectional societal media statement, posting connected X: "Today is simply a terribly bittersweet day.

Alex Manninger death: Tributes determination successful for ex-Arsenal, Liverpool goalkeeper

"He has near america not lone arsenic a large athlete, but arsenic a antheral of uncommon values: humility, dedication, and an bonzer nonrecreational seriousness. Juventus expresses its condolences for the passing of Alex Manninger and stands with the household successful this infinitesimal of grief."

Arsenal soon followed suit with a connection of their ain connected societal media, posting: "Everyone astatine Arsenal is shocked and profoundly saddened by the tragic passing of erstwhile goalkeeper, Alex Manninger.

"All our thoughts are with his household and loved ones astatine this incredibly bittersweet time. Rest successful peace, Alex."

Manninger's nonrecreational footballing vocation spanned 22 years from 1995 to 2017, during which clip helium besides made 33 appearances for the Austria nationalist team.

Alex Manninger vocation remembered pursuing decease aged 48

While not reaching the aforesaid level of goalkeeping stardom arsenic David Seaman oregon Jens Lehmann astatine Arsenal, Manninger's publication to the Gunners' 1997-98 treble triumph made him a Gunners large successful conscionable a fistful of games.

With Seaman connected the sidelines successful aboriginal 1998, Manninger started six consecutive Premier League games and kept a cleanable expanse successful each of them - including the celebrated 1-0 triumph astatine Old Trafford implicit Manchester United - and was granted peculiar dispensation to person a winners' medal.

Only players who had featured successful 10 Premier League games were permitted to person a medal, but Manninger's efforts were considered important capable that the Austrian went location with a shiny portion of metal.

Manninger besides played 5 times during Arsenal's tally to FA Cup glory that aforesaid play and made 64 appearances successful full for the Gunners, keeping 22 cleanable sheets and besides starting the 1999 Community Shield occurrence implicit Man Utd.

Manninger departed Arsenal for Fiorentina successful 2001 earlier leaving Highbury permanently 1 twelvemonth later, aft which helium embarked connected antithetic European sojourns with Salzburg, Augsburg, Bologna, Udinese and astir notably Juventus, playing 42 times for the Old Lady.

Amid his nine exploits, Manninger was named successful the Austria squad for Euro 2008, and the precocious 48-year-old past spent 1 twelvemonth arsenic a Liverpool backup earlier hanging up his boots successful 2017.