By Frank Kamuntu
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea will be awarded the Premier League’s Golden Glove prize after it became impossible for any other stopper to catch him.
De Gea, who has kept 16 clean sheets this season, now cannot see him tally matched by second-placed Liverpool keeper Alisson, who is on 14 shut-outs but conceded at Anfield against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Newcastle’s Nick Pope and Arsenal star Aaron Ramsdale, both on 13 clean sheets, are also unable to catch De Gea, who has been named the outright winner.
It is just the second time the Spaniard has won the Premier League’s top goalkeeping prize, which he last claimed in 2017-18.
De Gea, 32, has come under repeated criticism this season, most recently for his error to allow West Ham to score in their win over United this month, but has been able to keep his team from conceding in almost half of their league games.
Newcastle’s Nick Pope and Arsenal star Aaron Ramsdale, both on 13 clean sheets, are also unable to catch De Gea, who has been named the outright winner.
It is just the second time the Spaniard has won the Premier League’s top goalkeeping prize, which he last claimed in 2017-18.
De Gea, 32, has come under repeated criticism this season, most recently for his error to allow West Ham to score in their win over United this month, but has been able to keep his team from conceding in almost half of their league games.
Most Clean Sheets
David De Gea – 16
Alisson – 14
Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale – 13
Jose Sa, Emiliano Martinez, David Raya, Ederson – 11
Kepa Arrizabalaga – 9
Though his time at United had been thrown into question recently, the United goalkeeper looks set to sign a new deal with the club that will see him take a pay-cut on his £375,000-a-week salary.
His new deal of around £200,000-a-week brings him in line with the rest of the United back line and it became clear to the player given his inconsistent form, brilliant one week and bizarre the next, that nobody in Europe would offer him more.
De Gea is certainly a Manchester United legend in goalkeeping terms. He has won every major domestic trophy and was on the bench for Jose Mourinho’s Europa League triumph in 2017.
His 540 appearances for United is already the most for any goalkeeper and seventh in the all-time list.
By the time his new contract expires he will almost certainly have leapfrogged Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville into the top five.
Manager Erik ten Hag has recently played down suggestions that De Gea’s contract issue has affected his form.
‘Is that a reason? No, I don’t think that’s a reason because David is so experienced,’ he added.
‘I can think of a thousand and one reasons, but I don’t think that’s the reason.
‘As a top player, you have such circumstances and you have to accept it, deal with it and the demand is you have to perform.’
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