Soccer

David de Gea salutes Manchester United remaking Old Trafford a fortress

United have not conceded a league goal at home since September, with Manchester City up next to visit

David De Gea celebrates with Casemiro after the victory over AFC Bournemouth at Old Trafford yesterday. Photograph: Getty Images
David De Gea celebrates with Casemiro after the victory over AFC Bournemouth at Old Trafford yesterday. Photograph: Getty Images
Jamie Jackson
Wed Jan 04 2023 - 19:10

David de Gea believes Manchester United’s excellent home defensive record in the Premier League will make it tough for Manchester City to breach them.

The champions’ visit to Old Trafford a week on Saturday is United’s next Premier League match and De Gea pointed to how Arsenal are the last side to score in the competition there — five months ago in September’s 3-1 win over the leaders. Since then they have had five successive clean sheets in league games.

“That’s how it should be to come here — it should be a tough place for the teams,” the goalkeeper said. “We are playing really well. We have to keep the momentum as much as we can and prepare every game as a final and recover well. We have to recover really well because we play a lot of games [this month].”

United’s 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday was their fourth consecutive league victory and took them to 35 points, level with third-placed Newcastle, and a point behind City having played a game more.

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“A massive three points for us, we controlled the game really well,” De Gea said. “Just the last 15 or 20 minutes they had some good chances as well but probably the players felt a bit tired. I’m enjoying it because we changed two centre-backs and they played really well”

Victor Lindelöf and Harry Maguire were those defenders. “I feel comfortable with [playing with] everyone. Everyone is training really well, they are ready to play, so they showed it doesn’t matter who is playing,” De Gea said.

“Everyone is ready, focused, training really well, everyone is in the same direction. We have great team spirit and it’s great to see the players play in this way.”

United want the Spaniard to sign a deal that pays him less each month but has lucrative incentives, with De Gea thought to be willing to accept these terms.

“I’m very relaxed [about this] — just focus on training, perform as best as I can. For sure, it’s going to end in a good way. This is my club, I’ve been here many years [since 2011] and it’s a huge honour to be here.”

United manager Erik ten Hag, meanwhile, is waiting to discover the severity of the injury that forced Donny van de Beek off in the first half against Bournemouth. Van de Beek’s first home league start since May 2021 — and the first time he had started a league win at home in his United career — ended in first-half stoppage time after being caught by Marcos Senesi. “It is difficult to say,” said Ten Hag of the outlook for Van de Beek. “We have to wait a minimum of 24 hours. But it doesn’t look good.”

United are in talks with Crystal Palace goalkeeper Jack Butland about a move to Old Trafford as a backup for De Gea after Newcastle cut short Martin Dubravka’s loan spell. The 29-year-old England goalkeeper’s contract at Selhurst Park is due to expire in the summer.