Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has explained the reason for the blunder committed in the FA Cup third round match against Everton.
He told his teammates that he was not expecting the ball to pass through his legs. The Toffees silenced the home side when they equalized through Conor Coady after Manchester United’s Antony put the ball into Everton’s net.
The Spanish goalkeeper allowed Neal Maupay’s cross to go through his legs before Coady bodied Diogo Dalot to put Manchester United fans in misery before halftime.
After the match, Dalot, who played as a right back in the match, brought the discussion into the dressing room.
Dalot explained after the postmatch interview that he also was not expecting the ball to go past De Gea. He said he could have reacted quickly to the incident and wants to take full responsibility.
The Portuguese player also gave credit to Coady for scoring the goal in the game. However, Dalot did not criticize De Gea as much as Manchester United legend Roy Keane.
Keane, who was a pundit on ITV, claimed it was a shocking mistake from the goalkeeper. The pundit said it looked like the Spanish goalkeeper had a few drinks before the kickoff.
This is not the first time Keane has made a public statement aimed at destroying De Gea. In 2020, the Irishman stated that if he had been a member of the Manchester United staff, he would have attacked the Spanish goalkeeper.
Meanwhile, Manchester United continue their impressive form with five wins from five matches, conceding just one goal. Marcus Rashford was also on the scoresheet from the penalty spot to move Manchester United to the fourth round of the FA Cup.
That was Rashford’s 13th goal of the season, and he is loving it at the club.
How David De Gea is facing a huge pay cut to stay at Manchester United
There will be few new contracts offered to Manchester United players this year. Rashford and Dalot are entitled to a long term contract.
De Gea is likely to get a one-year contract with a reduction in salary. Erik Ten Hag and Manchester United CEO Richard Arnold want to bring in a policy that will reduce the earnings gap between the players to avoid envy in the dressing room.
The club also imposed wage sanctions on the players if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Arnold will impose a £200,000 salary bracket on the club. It is going to affect both Casemiro and Raphael Varane.
Although Manchester United are still in the market for a new goalkeeper, news has linked them with Borussia Monchengladbach’s Yann Sommer and Porto’s Diogo Costa, among others.
De Gea is the 10th-ranked Manchester United player with more than 500 appearances. He still remains the manager’s favorite, but a replacement is imminent.
