David De Gea came under fire after his error lead to Steven Bergwijn’s goal in Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hostpur last night. Former United captain Roy Keane labelled De Gea “overrated” in a fiery attack on Sky Sports. The Spaniard’s form has dipped in the last 12 months, making eight errors leading to goals in this time. With Dean Henderson impressing on loan at Sheffield United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a dilemma to mull over. Does he stick with David De Gea, or twist with Dean Henderson?
Is it Time for Manchester United to Replace David De Gea?
Another Poor Performance
Tottenham’s goal against Manchester United was too easy from a defensive point of view. Luke Shaw headed the ball straight to Bergwijn and he breezed past Fred and Harry Maguire. However, De Gea’s attempted save was considerably weak. The power of Bergwijn’s strike fizzed into the arms of the United ‘keeper but he could not keep it out. Instead, he parried the ball into the top corner, much to the disappointment of his teammates and coaches.
Bergwijn’s effort was labelled with an expected goals (xG) figure of 0.08. This means that, based on thousands of similar shots, there was a 92% chance of de Gea saving it.
Roy Keane’s Attack on David De Gea
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane did not hold back in his analysis of De Gea’s performance. Whilst on Sky Sports’ broadcast of the game, Keane claimed he would have “swung punches” at United’s goalkeeper.
Keane furiously exclaimed: “I’m sick to death of this goalkeeper.
“I would be fighting him at half-time, there’s no getting away from that. I would be swinging punches at that guy. This is a standard save for an established international goalkeeper. I wouldn’t even let them on the bus after the match. Get a taxi back to Manchester.”
Too Many Errors
If this was De Gea’s first error, he may have been let off the hook, but it simply wasn’t. His confidence has dwindled in the last 12 months, with errors becoming the new norm.
Back in March, De Gea made a catastrophic mistake at Goodison Park, when he gifted Everton a goal. He kicked the ball straight into the path of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who scored from the block.
Match-costing mistakes away at Watford, at home to Crystal Palace and at home to Everton hint that De Gea is a shadow of his former self. All these goals, as well as Bergwijn’s, were the result of poor handling. He manages to get hands-on the ball, but not able to keep the ball from going in. Whether it is the ‘arrogance’ that Keane believes, or lacking in confidence, it may be time for the Spaniard to take time out of the first team.
Time for Dean Henderson?
The clear and obvious alternative to De Gea is the on-loan Dean Henderson. The 23-year-old has been impressive in his two stints at Bramall Lane. Recently, Sheffield United retained his services by extending his loan until the end of the season. But Manchester United may look to promote Henderson to their number one in the new season.
Sheffield United have the second-best defence in the Premier League, behind only leaders Liverpool. This is largely down to Henderson’s heroics throughout the campaign. He has kept 11 clean sheets this season, compared to De Gea’s eight. Both have made similar numbers of saves. De Gea has made 78 compared to Henderson’s 76.
With De Gea’s performance level dipping rapidly, and Henderson’s confidence increasing, there is a pertinent argument for Solskjaer to make the switch. Henderson fits the profile of the squad overall. He is young, British and shows huge promise.
Despite this, De Gea’s reputation as a world-class goalkeeper and his vast experience could see him retain his place. His leadership qualities will provide confidence in his teammates whereas Henderson is inexperienced compared to the rest of the squad.
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