Keeper’s not out of touch when using his footwork
DAVID de Gea believes his spell as an outfield player can continue to help United after his remarkable save against Liverpool last month.
The Spaniard, who turned 27 on Tuesday, spent endless hours with the ball at his feet as he combined two roles as a No.1 and a No.9 as a youngster.
De Gea eventually followed in his father Jose’s footsteps in becoming a professional goalkeeper and has since gone on to establish himself as, arguably, the best in the world in his position.
The stopper’s footwork came to the rescue in United’s dull 0-0 draw with Liverpool last month, when he denied Joel Matip with a scarcely-believable stop from point-blank range.
And the 27-year-old believes those endless hours playing with the ball at his feet as a youngster have paid dividends – even if it is all just instinct.
“It’s pure instinct,” he told Inside Review.
“It’s something you do automatically. It’s not like you think to yourself: ‘I’m going to use my feet’.
“It’s just a reaction and there are times when the ball is coming at you very close to your body and there’s not enough time to get down.
“I’ve always been decent with my feet so it’s another skill you can call upon.
“[As I said], as a kid, I used to play out of goal, so my touch isn’t too bad.” ZLATAN Ibrahimovic wasn’t talking about United – but he could have been.
It’s safe to assume the Swede has similar thoughts about his potential impact on Jose Mourinho’s team.
Speaking ahead of his imminent return from knee ligament damage, the striker issued a reminder of just what the Premier League has been missing.
The man who infamously declared himself a lion after his 28 goals for United last season, proved his seven-month lay-off has done nothing to diminish his supreme self-belief.
Discussing the Sweden national team, Ibrahimovic told Sky Sport Italia: “If I have to listen to my ego I have to answer that obviously with me in the field Sweden would be stronger.”
While admittedly his international retirement has forced his country to become more of a team, how Mourinho could do with his individual qualities right now.
The striker’s arrogance and swagger has been conspicuous by its absence in a month that has seen United fall eight points behind leaders City. As United’s form has dipped, Ibrahimovic’s sheer force of nature has been missed – not to mention his finishing as Romelu Lukaku’s goals have dried up.
Even at the tail end of his career the 36-year-old proved himself the ultimate big game player in his debut season at Old Trafford – scoring against City and Liverpool, and providing winners in the Community Shield and League Cup.
He also established himself as one of the most influential characters in the dressing room - and at a time when Paul Pogba has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, United have been short of such vocal presences on the pitch. Ibrahimovic’s return cannot come soon enough for Mourinho, who expects to have him available in time for the Christmas period. The question is just how much of an impact ligament damage has had on his aging knees. United were confident enough to hand him a new contract even while continuing his rehabilitation – but there is no way of knowing before he is truly put to the test. A man who was so delighted to confound critics upon his arrival to these shores last year, Ibrahimovic will be convinced he will do likewise. “Now I’m just thinking about getting back to the field as soon as possible,” he said when dismissing any chance of an international return. Mourinho will hope he can pick up precisely where he left off in April. James Robson on Zlatan Ibrahimovic