The legendary Red Devils shot-stopper admits his highly-rated successor needs to raise his game after seeing lapses in concentration become a problem
David de Gea is making “far too many” mistakes at Manchester United, admits Peter Schmeichel, with the Red Devils legend suggesting that Real Madrid transfer talk of the past affected the focus of a once reliable goalkeeper.
Another error was produced by the Spanish shot-stopper during his most recent outing, as he delayed making an early clearance against Everton and saw the ball charged down and deflected into the back of the net by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Lapses in concentration from De Gea have contributed to seven goals this season, with the Red Devils seeing their last line of defence spring uncharacteristic leaks.
Schmeichel concedes that a four-time Player of the Year at Old Trafford needs to raise his game, with it impossible for any ambitious outfit to chase down ultimate targets if their efforts are being undermined on a regular basis.
The legendary former United keeper told Premier League Productions: “It’s a lack of concentration.
“For top clubs, the way to win the championships is not to give anything away easily – you don’t do that.
“In seven games, seven mistakes have led to loss of points, that’s far too many. That’s too much for a top club and that’s something that David de Gea needs to get out of his game.
“He needs better concentration.”
Schmeichel feels the source of De Gea’s struggles can be traced back to the transfer talk which swirled him not all that long ago when a big-money move to Real Madrid was being mooted.
He has since committed to a new contract with United, but his iconic predecessor said: “I think the disappointment of not going to Real Madrid at that time, feeling like he’s caught up here, rebuilding the team, insecurity in defence – there is a lot of things going on.
“But I think with his experience that he should be the one calming things down and ensuring every easy thing was dealt with. In certain situations, that hasn’t happened and people start to focus on that.
“When people pinpoint something on your performances, you start to think about it and start to believe you have a problem. That might be why we see David de Gea in these situations.”
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