Kasper Schmeichel defends under-fire Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea against 'dangerous narrative'

Goalkeepers Union: Kasper Schmeichel has jumped to the defence of under-pressure Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea
AFP via Getty Images
Matt Davies24 July 2020

Leicester's Kasper Schmeichel has come to the defence of under-fire Manchester United counterpart David de Gea, insisting goalkeepers face a different set of pressures to outfield players.

De Gea - who won United's Player of the Year award four times in five years between 2013-18 - has more recently received widespread criticism after a pair of errors cost his side dearly in an FA Cup semi-final defeat by Chelsea last weekend.

Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has since publicly backed the Spaniard, though there is growing pressure to replace him as United's no1, with Sheffield United loanee Dean Henderson keeping 13 clean sheets to date during a fine campaign.

Schmeichel believes goalkeepers can often fall victim to an unfair narrative set by both journalists and pundits, however, stating certain plays are branded "mistakes" when perhaps they shouldn't be.

Of the unfair criticism, Schmeichel - whose Leicester side face United in a pivotal season-ending clash on Sunday - told Sky Sports: "That's sometimes quite a dangerous narrative.

"All of a sudden it starts building momentum and for someone like David, I really feel for him because he has been unbelievable for so many years and every goalkeeper goes through periods [of poor form]."

Schmeichel believes De Gea has been placed under further pressure by Henderson's rise to prominence, insisting the latter will develop better if allowed to stay for another season or two at Sheffield United.

He added: "There is a lot of pressure also in the sense that you now have an England goalkeeper coming through and, like it or not, in this country when you have an English goalkeeper, that means so much and they really do tend to build them up.

"I genuinely hope for someone like Dean Henderson, who's had an amazing season, that he can be allowed to develop. I hope for him he gets another season, maybe two, at Sheffield United and play the way he's done and then he'll be ready.

"But for now, David De Gea is still a world-class goalkeeper."

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