David de Gea has been “treated unfairly” amid questions of his future at Manchester United, says Peter Schmeichel, with the Spaniard backed to remain the Red Devils’ No.1 for “many years to come”.
A four-time Player of the Year at Old Trafford has seen uncharacteristic errors creep into his game during the 2019-20 campaign.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer retains full confidence in his first-choice shot-stopper, but United do now have alternative options to take into consideration.
Dean Henderson has been catching the eye on loan at Sheffield United and could be welcomed back into the Red Devils fold this summer.
His presence would put De Gea under pressure for the first time since he endured a shaky start to life in English football, with plenty calling for a change between the sticks.
Schmeichel does not form part of that pack, with the legendary former United keeper wanting faith to be shown in a player who was considered to be one of the best in the world not all that long ago.
“There is an English goalkeeper, young, on loan at Sheffield United, he's done fantastically well, he's very, very promising and it's a great story,” Schmeichel told beIN Sports.
"[But] De Gea's one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League for the last I don't know how many years.
"One of the things I believe is that the way Ole's changed the way the team plays hasn't fitted in with the way that De Gea has played in the last couple of years and so he would have had to make changes to his game.
"And in making changes you're always making mistakes. If you don't make mistakes, you don't really learn.
"They've now got third place, they've got the Europa League to focus on now, he comes back with a couple of weeks break, comes back to a new season, he'll be alright.
"I see David de Gea as the goalkeeper for Manchester United for many years to come and I think he has been treated unfairly in all honesty."
De Gea kept 13 clean sheets for the Red Devils during the 2019-20 campaign, as Solskjaer’s side wrapped up Champions League qualification, with that return leaving him just three short of Manchester City’s Golden Glove winner Ederson.