It’s De Gea’s job for keeps
LEGEND SCHMEICHEL BACKS CURRENT No. 1
PETER SCHMEICHEL has backed David de Gea to remain Manchester United’s No.1 for years to come and help them return to the top of English football.
De Gea will make his 400th United appearance tonight against Southampton at Old Trafford and has just overtaken Schmeichel as the overseas player with the most games in the club’s history.
The Spain star, 29, has come in for some stick this season following a series of high-profile blunders but boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has stuck with De Gea and insisted that he is still the best goalkeeper in world football.
Schmeichel (inset), who won 15 major trophies in eight glorious years with United under Sir Alex Ferguson, believes De Gea still has a long and successful career ahead of him at Old Trafford.
The legendary Dane, speaking to United’s matchday programme United Review, said: “There’s no debate about it, he’s been fantastic since he came to the club.
“He’s been Player of the Year in almost half those seasons and some of the saves he has made have been absolutely phenomenal.
“There are too many to list but his reactions are just unbelievable at times.
“There have been trophies over the last nine years and David will want more.
“Nine years at Manchester United is a long time and reaching 400 appearances for the club is a huge landmark which very few players have managed to do but David’s got a long way still to go.
“He’s a young lad and he could play on here for another 10 years.
“It’s been great to watch his development here and it will be very exciting to see him use those experiences to play a big part in United’s future.”
Schmeichel reckons United have some exciting times ahead of them under Solskjaer, whose side have been scoring goals for fun since the season resumed.
Red-hot attacking trio Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have plundered an impressive 56 goals between them this season and Solskjaer has likened them to the celebrated three of Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez who helped United win the Champions League in 2008.
Greenwood, 18, needs one more league goal to reach double figures and become just the second teenager after Rooney in 2004-05 to do so this century.
Solskjaer said: “It’s not new for United. Did you not watch Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez when they were playing under Sir Alex?”