Bosnich on De Gea: "Obviously when you start making mistakes as he has done in the last six to twelve months people start opening their eyes."
Tuesday 28 July 2020 11:43, UK
David De Gea will remain as Manchester United's first choice goalkeeper for the time being but Dean Henderson is increasing the pressure, according to Mark Bosnich.
De Gea has had to deal with ongoing criticism this season following a series of uncharacteristic mistakes, the most recent coming in United's 3-1 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea where the Spaniard was at fault for two goals.
Solskjaer backed De Gea after his costly Wembley errors, insisting the 29-year-old was "mentally strong enough" to deal with the increasing pressure, and picked him for United's final two Premier League games as Champions League qualification was secured.
Former United goalkeeper Bosnich believes De Gea will overcome this season's adversities and prove himself again in the future, and told Sky Sports News: "I do believe that, he's been outstanding for such a long time.
"Obviously when you start making mistakes as he has done in the last six to 12 months people start opening their eyes and because it has happened in certain situations which have cost Manchester United for example the FA Cup semi-final people start asking questions
"Also having someone like Dean Henderson playing so well at Sheffield United, and being on Manchester United's books, it is only natural that people are going to ask if he is up to it.
"The people who truly know that will be Ole and his staff. They see him day in day out, they made a decision to go with him even after the FA Cup debacle.
"He proved them correct, they qualified for the Champions League but going forward they really need to have a serious think about this.
"Even if they do decide to stay with him, which I believe that they will, and if Dean Henderson wants to stay out on loan which is understandable to play first-team football, I would seriously consider bringing in a really young up and coming goalkeeper.
"When I say young I would say less than 20 years of age because he (De Gea) is obviously not getting the competition he needs right now at this moment in time
"The problem has gone from being a technical problem which was quite evident when he was diving backwards which he was doing a lot, and that started to infiltrate into his head.
"He has to make sure in this time off to make sure he gets that right and I believe he will be given that opportunity to reassert his authority in that number one position but it will be up to him to do so."
Sky Sports' Gary Neville:
"De Gea has been good enough. I was nervous about him in his first year or two at Manchester United but then he did prove to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world for four or five years.
"In the last 18 months he's been riddled with mistakes and only Solskjaer can make that decision over the goalkeeper.
"What I would say about that decision is that Solskjaer has to be decisive and ruthless with that decision, he's got to think about himself and the club. If he thinks De Gea is going to return to the level he was at before, stick with him.
" De Gea hasn't put a foot wrong in [United's] last two matches. Solskjaer has still got that decision in his hands, but he's at least got through that until the end of the season."
Kasper Schmeichel has staunchly defended his fellow goalkeeper.
"David de Gea is still a world-class goalkeeper," he said. "It's a lonely position and those are the margins you play in as a goalkeeper - you simply cannot make mistakes because you will be punished.
"So the difference between goalkeepers and outfielders is the little, tiny, minute details which are the difference and when they go against you, they are really glaring and they will be spotted.
"Outfielders don't have to have the same mentality and they say we're crazy, which we are because we're the only ones who dare to take the responsibility because if outfielders took that kind of responsibility, we'd have some unbelievable players everywhere."
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