Man Utd to give De Gea No1 spot in goal this season as Solskjaer puts trust in Spaniard despite blunders
DAVID DE GEA has been told he will start the season as Manchester United’s No1 – but warned his place is under threat from rookie Dean Henderson.
The Spain keeper made a series of high-profile blunders last term – including one from Spurs’ Steven Bergwijn which led to a goal and a huge rebuke from United legend Roy Keane.
Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows he has two very capable goalkeepers and simply will not put up with any more blunders from the former Atletico Madrid goalie.
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Henderson has made a huge impression in his two seasons on loan at Sheffield United.
But he will now stay at Old Trafford this season and try and dislodge De Gea after signing a bumper five-year contract.
Solskjaer confirmed De Gea, 29, will start in their Prem opener against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford this evening.
He said: “Yeah, you keep your place in the team or you play when you play well, it doesn’t matter if you’re a keeper or a striker or full-back.
“Of course, keeper is a different position on the pitch. There are less physical demands compared to an outfield player that you will rotate more maybe.
“But you need competition, and you need to get that competition to push each other so we can get the best possible performance out of one of them.
“Hopefully the two of them will always be performing when they play.”
Solskjaer kept faith with De Gea last term when he was being roundly criticised by fans and pundits.
The Spaniard signed a five-year £350,000-a-week deal in 2019, making him the club’s highest earner.
He had been linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Keane launched a scathing attack on De Gea after his blunder gave Tottenham their lead in the first game back after the lockdown in July.
He said De Gea and Harry Maguire should not be allowed on the team bus and should have been told to get a taxi home.
He said: “I’m staggered at Maguire and I’m sick to death of this goalkeeper.
“I would be fighting him at half-time, I would be swinging punches at that guy. I am flabbergasted.
“Maguire and De Gea, I wouldn’t even let them on the bus after the match. Get a taxi back to Manchester.”
Henderson, 23, who penned a £100,000-a-week deal, made the England breakthrough last season and is earmarked as the future No1 at Old Trafford and for the Three Lions.
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Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate has backed Henderson’s decision to stay and fight for the shirt at Old Trafford, even though he may not play many games.
He said: “If I was him and I had the chance to push to be the Manchester United No 1, then I’d make the same decision he has.
“He’s got the chance to train every day in front of the manager, to influence him and put David De Gea under pressure for his place.”