As David de Gea laid face down in despair on the turf of Vicarage Road, it provided a reminder of his turbulent form in recent seasons for Manchester United. The Spaniard has committed a number of costly mistakes. Yet, his recent form is not even the biggest problem for the Red Devils.
David de Gea is Not One of Manchester United’s Problems
A Fall From Grace, Costly Mistakes are Costing His Team
De Gea’s most recent mistake against Watford joined a long-list of howlers from the United goalkeeper.
It was his failed punch that led to Everton‘s opener in Manchester United’s previous game. Not even VAR could prevent De Gea from being given the blame.
In total, it is now six mistakes that the Spaniard has made since the beginning of last season. While not season-changing or making the difference between finishing in the top four or a Europa League spot, De Gea has still cost his team vital points.
His mistake stats are not the only ones that do not make pretty reading for the 29-year-old. It is now 11 games without a clean sheet for him. While David de Gea will not being at fault all the time, certainly with a defence that is arguably not doing their job of protecting him good enough, he will be given a proportion of the blame.
As a result, there is now the question of how long he will be able to withhold the pressure of Sergio Romero and Dean Henderson – as well as how long he will remain at Old Trafford. Romero is a more than adequate back-up – and more than capable of taking his colleague’s position – while Henderson is impressing on loan at Sheffield United.
Despite Issues With David de Gea, It is Not the Highest Priority for Manchester United
Alarm bells would be ringing in most dressing rooms now after the number of mistakes David de Gea has made. However, it is not the highest priority for Manchester United in their long list of problems.
Firstly, doubts are still lingering on whether Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the right manager to take them forward. Their appalling performance against Watford joined a growing list of dire performances under the Norwegian. It was a stark contrast to their performances against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
Concerns over the squad remain. They are too inconsistent, despite the millions that have been spent to assemble it. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Harry Maguire have both not lived up to expectation since moving to Old Trafford.
Furthermore, their hopes of qualifying for next seasons Champions League look limited. They’re seven points off of Chelsea in fourth and are likely going to have to rely on winning the Europa League if they want to be among the best next season.
Manchester United remain well behind Liverpool and Manchester City in terms of winning the Premier League. It remains a likely long way back, should United want to win their 21st Premier League title.
Main Photo
