Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says David de Gea is STILL ‘the best goalkeeper in the world’
De Gea is still the best goalkeeper in the world despite his gaffe against Tottenham, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has insisted.
But the United boss acknowledged the difficult choice he will have to make in the future after predicting that Dean Henderson will one day be No 1 for United and England.
De Gea has come under fire for allowing Steven Bergwijn’s shot to beat him on Friday night, not least from former United skipper Roy Keane who claimed he would have swung for the Spaniard at half-time.
But Solskjaer backed De Gea ahead of Wednesday’s return to Old Trafford against Sheffield United.
‘David is the best goalkeeper in the world,’ he said. ‘He’s conceded two goals in the last seven he’s played for us – (including) Man City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Everton.
‘The Everton goal is a freak one. This one (Tottenham) we can’t say he can’t save it, but he makes great saves and wins games for us.
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| De Gea allowed Steven Bergwijn’s shot to go past him for Tottenham’s opener on Friday night |
‘He’s still the best goalkeeper in the world. David is working really hard, he isn’t making errors you see time and time again and I’m pleased with his work.
‘He’s had some fantastic seasons and I don’t think it’s a bad run if you concede two goals in seven games against the team we’ve played.
‘He’s made match-winning saves and he saved a point for us against Tottenham with the save (from Son Heung-min).
‘Mentally he’s a very strong keeper but I speak to him every day, that’s fine. He’s been at United for nine years now and developed into a mature keeper.’
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| De Gea smiles in United’s training session on Monday as they prepare for Sheffield United |
Man United fixtures
Gary Neville has also criticised De Gea, branding him ‘unreliable’. It has put the 29-year-old former Atletico Madrid keeper under increased scrutiny at a time when Henderson’s future is under discussion.
The 23-year-old has made no secret of the fact he wants to be first-choice after two seasons on loan at Sheffield United and is reluctant to sign a new contract to sit on the bench.
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| Dean Henderson, currently on loan at Sheffield United, is tipped to succeed De Gea |
Henderson is set to extend his loan at Bramall Lane until the end of the season and will be ineligible to play when the two clubs meet at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
He is unlikely to want a third season on loan there and may look to join a bigger club permanently rather than sign a new deal at United where he still has two years left on contract.
‘It’s a different job to be playing for Sheffield United and for Man United,’ added Solskjaer. ‘He’s got different roles and the two years he’s had have been fantastic development.
‘He’s played with and against men, he’s played in the Championship and he plays in team that play exciting football. The stats show he’s proved worthy of a few points.
‘He’s learning all the time,. He’s a passionate keeper who wants to be the best. One day he’ll be England No 1 and United No 1 and he needs to keep developing.’
On Henderson extending his current loan until the end of the season, Solskjaer added: ‘I would think so. I think they will settle the admin. Dean’s had a fantastic season again, as he had last year with Sheffield United, and so far he’s proven the loan has worked out as we wanted.’
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