Solskjaer backs ‘best in the world’ De Gea despite accusation of arrogance

Keane criticises United keeper for Everton goal Pickford also at fault with Southgate watching

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insisted he had complete trust in David de Gea after the Manchester United goalkeeper was accused of “arrogance” for his error against Everton.

De Gea was not under pressure when his kick was charged down by Dominic Calvert-lewin and flew in for the opener at Goodison Park, his seventh mistake leading to a goal since the start of last season.

“I trust David 100 per cent,” Solskjaer

said. “He went through a difficult patch last season but he has been very, very good this season. I can’t remember any errors for goals this season apart from the Watford one.

“He is too slow for the goal. He knows that. But that is Dominic Calvert-lewin for you. He chases everything, he chases paper on a windy day. He deserves a goal for how he is playing.”

Solskjaer has the added complication of having Dean Henderson on loan at Sheffield United and in fine form. The United manager expects Henderson to compete for a place when he returns but says De Gea is his No1.

“We want the best possible squad for Manchester United and Dean is our player,” Solskjaer said.

“He is doing really well at the moment and the day he comes back, he is fighting to play here as well. But David for me has shown here his reaction, the way he made amends and saved [Gylfi] Sigurdsson’s chance at the end.

“David is for me the best goalkeeper in the world. And Dean is a very good challenger and Sergio

[Romero] is a decent challenger as well. We want a squad that is full of quality and competition. If you want to survive at the top you need to bounce off competition right, left and centre.”

Former United captain Roy Keane, speaking on Sky Sports as a pundit, is less certain about De Gea’s future, suggesting Solskjaer has a big decision to make. “It’s almost arrogance from De Gea for the goal,” said Keane. “I think there will be a decision on him, Dean Henderson on loan is sure to be an option Ole is looking over.”

Henderson is also competing with Jordan Pickford for an England place, with the Everton goalkeeper guilty of allowing Bruno Fernandes’ long-range shot through his dive for the equaliser.

Gareth Southgate was in the stands at Goodison Park yesterday to watch Pickford then redeem himself with a double save in the second half to deny Fernandes and Odion Ighalo.

“I am not going to speak with him about it,” Carlo Ancelotti, the Everton manager, said. “I will speak with him about what he has to do when he has the ball. The build-up is important. Sometimes we can build up from the back.

“In my opinion he has to be better. After that, of course, the goalkeeper is there to save.

“He did well. Sometimes it was good, sometimes he could do better but this is the life of the goalkeeper.”

De Gea also made up for his error with a late save in the build-up for a Calvert-lewin strike disallowed by

VAR as Sigurdsson was offside. “It was a fantastic save,” said Solskjaer. “He makes amends there down to his right, then he gets distracted by the boy in front of him.

“I don’t know what the rules are saying there.”

Calvert-lewin believes he should have been awarded a goal. “Gylfi on the floor doesn’t obstruct his line of sight,” he said. “Fair enough he’s in an offside position but then it takes the deflection and the keeper is already going the other way.

“He moves his legs out of the way and the keeper is never going to save the ball. I’m not sure what it is...but for me as a striker, it’s a goal.”

United were missing Dan James with a knock but the winger should be back within a week.