NO MORE KID

Surely it’s time for Solskjaer to dump blunder keeper De Gea ..ruthless Fergie would have axed him long before now

Solskjaer said nobody was guaranteed a place in his United side “like a season-ticket card” – now that statement will be put to the test in his treatment of De Gea (below).

Having started United’s last two FA Cup ties, Dean Henderson was always likely to be between the posts for tomorrow’s visit of West Ham for the fifth round. But the time has come for England international Henderson, who returned from a loan spell at Sheffield

United to challenge the first-choice Spaniard, to be handed a run.

Whether Solskjaer has the courage to drop De

Gea and give Henderson the nod remains to be seen. If not, how many more mistakes will it take before the latter gets a chance? When asked this after the galling draw with Everton, Solskjaer (above) said: “Every player has to earn the right to play. We’re a squad with competition and that applies to every single player in the team.”

Sir Alex Ferguson, Solskjaer’s former boss and the man whose managerial philosophy he slavishly follows, would surely have jettisoned under-performing De Gea by now.

Ferguson always knew when a player was past his best and there was no room for sentiment when he acted – now Solskjaer must display the same cold, decisive judgment.

The Spaniard, 30, remains capable of some breathtaking saves but too often this season and last his lapses of judgment and failure to make the right decisions have cost United dearly.

Last season, De Gea made a series of highprofile errors and this season has followed a similar pattern, his latest aberrations against Everton making his position untenable. Former United skipper Gary Neville did not hold back in his criticism of De Gea, citing his lack of courage and decisiveness in key moments. “De Gea, there, at the end, he doesn’t even come in line with the ball,” said Sky pundit Neville.

“I think you want the goalkeeper to come there and eat the striker. You just want your goalkeeper to come out there and absolutely take him out. Goalkeepers are so quick off their line nowadays, it wasn’t a great night for the goalkeeper.”

Yet De Gea was not solely to blame for a result that felt almost like a defeat for United. His defence was culpable too, their naivety at setpieces a recurring theme. And the centre-back pairing of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof once again showed their vulnerability.

The last time Everton snatched a draw at Old Trafford, it cost United the title. Back in 2012, United’s failure to seal victory after leading 4-2 – Nikica Jelavic and Steven Pienaar scored in the last 10 minutes for Everton – swung the title race in Manchester City’s favour.

This result may have done the same. Solskjaer’s men led 2-0 at the break, through goals from Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes. But strikes early in the second half from Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez hauled Everton level.

Scott Mctominay restored United’s lead, before Calvert-lewin, with the last kick of the match, plundered a 95th-minute leveller, aided by De Gea’s lack of conviction.