Aheed Abrar
Rio Ferdinand backs David de Gea despite Manchester United criticism
Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand has backed shot-stopper David de Gea for his quality despite coming under criticism at the Old Trafford side.
While the Spain international has been one of the best goalkeepers over the years, the 32-year-old’s distribution is not his strongest suit. The former Atletico Madrid star’s frailties were evident in the 3-0 loss to Sevilla in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals.
But speaking on BT Sport (h/t Manchester Evening News), Ferdinand, who spent 12 years at the Old Trafford side, still has faith in De Gea when it comes to keeping the ball out of the back of the net.
“This guy has done that throughout his career, yes he’s had issues with his feet with the way the game has evolved in terms of goalkeepers being expected to play more now, but I’m the old-fashioned way that I want them to save the ball and keep it out of the net.”
The ex-defender played alongside the Spaniard for a few seasons at United. Together, under Sir Alex Ferguson, the two were pivotal players in our legendary gaffer’s final years in charge.
In the summer of 2011, the 32-year-old signed for the Red Devils and replaced Edwin van der Sar in between the sticks. Since then, he has been our number one for over a decade now.
De Gea has been Erik ten Hag’s first choice in the current campaign. The former Atletico star has made some clutch saves since the Dutch manager’s arrival.
However, along the way, the shot-stopper has also made some glaring errors. At the start of the season, the 32-year-old’s distribution left a lot to be desired. Thereafter, the Spaniard has been disappointed with the ball at his feet on multiple occasions.
Ten Hag has Tom Heaton and Jack Butland in his ranks as the backups. But with all due respect, the two English nationals are not up to the Old Trafford side’s standards.
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No doubt, De Gea has a lot of strengths. However, the gaffer evidently wants to play a certain brand of football which looks uncomfortable for the Spaniard. Therefore, while the 32-year-old has been a great servant at United, his days at the club seem to be numbered.
