Manchester United have a big decision to make ahead of next season over whether to stick with out-of-form David de Gea or make Dean Henderson their new No.1 goalkeeper.
De Geas slump took its latest nosedive in a calamitous evening on Sunday, as the Spaniard produced another error-strewn display in United’s 3-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea.
De Gea’s confidence looks ‘shot to pieces’, according to Ally McCoist
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has routinely defended De Gea despite his dreadful run of form between the sticks for United.
The boss hailed the Spaniard as the best goalkeeper in the world after he fumbled Steven Bergwijns shot in their 1-1 draw at Tottenham back in June.
But theres a strong case that hes not even the best goalkeeper on Manchester United’s books, with Dean Henderson appearing to push his case to be the clubs new first-choice keeper with every passing game for on-loan club Sheffield United.
Solskjaer continued to back De Gea after the Chelsea defeat which also ended their run of 19 games unbeaten in all competitions pointing out that he made a series of decent saves throughout the game too.
But being a goalkeeper is easily the most unforgiving position on the pitch, and for many United fans enough is enough.
And, while talkSPORT host Tony Cascarino has suggested the Spaniard should seek professional help to improve his mental state, McCoist has insisted the club must now be considering giving Henderson his chance next season.
Henderson has 13 Premier League clean sheets this season, one more than United No.1 De Gea
I think Man United have got a big decision to make about what they do next year, obviously with Dean Henderson at Sheffield United, the Rangers legend said on the talkSPORT Breakfast.
De Gea has made some fantastic saves and helped United go on that fantastic run, but he has to be a concern, he really, really has to be a concern. His form and confidence has gone.
I might be being a bit harsh, but I thought he should have done better with all three goals. His confidence just looks shot to pieces and he looks nothing like the goalkeeper we know.
Its a lapse in concentration, a lapse in form, the ball is going through him. The second goal from Mount yesterday, thats a bread and butter save for any goalkeeper.
Hes making mistakes you just wouldnt expect him to make.
So I think Man United have got a big decision to make going forward, because while were being critical of De Gea, theyve also got one of the best goalkeepers in the league playing particularly well for Sheffield United in Henderson.
De Gea could have arguably done better with all three goals in a game that will give the goalkeeper nightmares
Sheffield United have not given up trying to re-sign Henderson for the next campaign, but there’s every chance he could be Manchester United’s new No.1 instead
Meanwhile, De Gea has been urged to see a therapist to cure his case of the yips.
Former Chelsea striker Cascarino has revealed he sought out professional help throughout his career when he was going through a rough patch of not scoring, and believes it would make a big difference for the goalkeeper.
David de Gea needs to see a therapist because it is the only way he will start to shake off the problems he is having, the talkSPORT host said in his column for The Times.
I went through a period during my playing career when I just could not score goals and it took me a while to realise that I couldnt fix it on the training ground.
De Gea isn’t in the top-five keepers in the UK, let alone the world. – Ally McCoist says Man United No.1 has lost it
You may think that the problems are technical but the truth is that you are only making the technical errors because of what is happening in your head. That is what De Gea is going through at the moment.
The error he made to let Mason Mounts shot sneak in for Chelseas second goal is a technical error he dives over the ball but it only happens because his mind is scrambled and anxious. He will have been worried anyway because of mistakes in other games this season, and then that will have worsened when Chelsea got their first goal.
That was not a big mistake by De Gea, but it will have preyed on his mind. Its what golfers call the yips a psychological problem that means you just cannot do simple things that previously you found easy.
Graham Taylor, my manager at Aston Villa in 1990, spotted I needed help and put me in touch with someone, and after that, even when I moved to France, I would always try to get help to keep me mentally strong.
De Gea needs that sort of help because it is painful to watch what he is going through.