Manchester United star David de Gea certainly played his role in the 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Spanish goalkeeper was crucial in his side’s ability to keep a clean-sheet in what was a hard-fought affair.
David de Gea has now kept as many Premier League clean sheets as Peter Schmeichel (128).
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— William Hill (@WilliamHill) February 15, 2022
De Gea appeared to star poorly after failing to make good passes especially under pressure and particularly in comparison to the Brighton goalkeeper.
Modern football needs goalkeepers who are good with their feet and the former Atletico Madrid man doesn’t necessarily fit that category.
There was a time when he could set his teammates off with pinpoint passes for the counter-attack but those seem long gone.
Now when he’s asked to help in terms of build-up, De Gea seems uncomfortable and causes his teammates trouble with wayward passes.
However, his stunning shot-stopping was exactly why United were able to stay in the game and subsequently go on to win it.
Now that he’s matched Peter Schmeichel with the number of clean-sheets he’s kept in the Premier League, it’s clear he’s an all-time great.
The hope is he can add the silverware that his type of ability deserves before he inevitability calls it a day.
Helping keep Brighton at an arm’s length certainly helped and United will need to keep many more clean-sheets to progress.