Former Arsenal and Liverpool goalkeeper killed in car accident aged 48

Alex Manninger, a former Arsenal goalkeeper, died at the age of 48 after his car was hit by a train.

Police said the incident occurred around 8:20am on Thursday morning at a level crossing near Salzburg.

Manninger played 64 games for Arsenal between 1997 and 2002, winning both the Premier League and the FA Cup.

He has 33 caps for Austria and was a member of the squad that competed at Euro 2008 in his home nation.

“Alexander Manninger was an outstanding ambassador for Austrian football, both on and off the pitch,” stated Peter Schottel, sporting director of the Austrian Football Association.

“His professionalism, composure, and reliability made him an integral part of his teams and the national team. His achievements deserve the utmost respect and will be unforgettable.”

According to Salzburg police, first responders used a defibrillator on Manninger, who was alone in the automobile after being released from the train-dragged vehicle, but were unable to resuscitate him.

Police also said that the train driver was not injured.

Manninger began his career with his hometown club Red Bull Salzburg and has played for 14 clubs in Europe, including Sienna, Juventus, Udinese, and Augsburg.

He signed a short-term contract with Liverpool in 2016 at the age of 39, but did not play.

Manninger primarily played second fiddle to David Seaman at Arsenal, but he did fill in for the injured England custodian late in the 1997-98 season.

Manninger helped Arsenal defeat West Ham on penalties in the FA Cup sixth round that season, as well as impressing in a famous triumph over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Manninger later joined Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, where he spent a year from 2016 to 2017. Manninger did not play a single game for Liverpool, but he was signed as an experienced goalkeeper who could aid the team.

Manninger was selected Premier League Player of the Month in March 1998.