Gary Neville has said Manchester United need to sign a new goalkeeper if they are to challenge for the title.
United have got themselves in the title mix this term, but are likely to come up short as Manchester City are powering away at the top of the Premier League.
David De Gea was in the spotlight with a couple of blunders in the 3-3 draw with Everton last weekend, and Neville feels United need to head off further problems by making a raid on the market for a goalkeeper of the highest class.
What has been said?
“We have to start asking questions about David De Gea, of course we do,” Neville told Webby and O’Neill. “The mistakes are coming more regularly and they cost points. And the game-winning saves and one-on-one saves are coming less.”
Neville is convinced Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola or Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp would quickly remedy the problem if they took over at Old Trafford, as he also feels De Gea’s understudy Dean Henderson is not the answer.
“If Pep Guardiola or Klopp came in to Manchester United in six months' time, they would bring a new goalkeeper in," Neville said.
'That might be tough on Henderson, but to chance it - do you gamble with winning the league? That's the first question, is the keeper right? That's number one, deal with the 'keeper situation.
"Your goalkeeper, to win a league, has got to be exceptional.”
Is it too soon to write De Gea off?
The simple answer is yes. He has made more mistakes than in previous seasons, but Liverpool star Alisson was seen as the best goalkeeper in the league and has been castigated for errors in the Reds’ past two games.
Goalkeepers are far more exposed to errors than outfield players, so every mistake is magnified.
De Gea has three months to reestablish himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the league. If he fails to do so, then Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have justification in making a change.
But with the club fighting for honours on three fronts, the Norwegian would be better served in attempting to rebuild confidence in his number one for the time being.