David De Gea, 33-year-old former Manchester United goalkeeper, has shown at the start of the season with Fiorentina that he still has a lot left in the tank. He can still make those saves that used to leave opposing fans baffled. Just look at what he did on Thursday against Genoa to keep his third clean sheet of the season and three points.

he also saved Two penalties earlier this season against AC Milan.: one from Theo Hernandez and the other from Tammy Abraham.

After spending last season as a free agent, De Gea signed with Fiorentina after 12 seasons in Manchester, England. The Serie A side are currently fourth in the league with 19 points and De Gea played a big role in the team’s early success. He is first in save percentage, second in saves per 90 minutes and the team is undefeated in six consecutive games with the Spaniard in goal.

For those who don’t know or just started following this sport, De Gea is one of the best. first division Goalkeepers of the 2010s.

He won the league in 2012-13, two Golden Gloves, numerous club honors and was part of five PFA Team of the Year teams. he is the one of all time manchester united The clean sheet leader broke Peter Schmeichel’s record in festive fashion in the 2023 EFL Cup Final. His name will forever be etched in the club’s history books.

With 415 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils, he was the last player of the Sir Alex Ferguson era to leave at the time of his departure in 2023. His final game for the club certainly left a sour taste in fans’ mouths. after losing to Manchester City in the 2022-23 FA Cup final as the team’s rival consolidated a historic treble.

His performance in the penalty shootout of the 2021 UEFA Europa League final also comes to mind.

His wages, his inconsistent form, Ten Hag’s technical philosophy and the general move across the league towards goalkeepers who played the ball and built from the back were points of contention for De Gea’s position with his then manager. He was not the only United player under scrutiny at the time, and some players still are today.

“Is it the players or the coach?” One question United fans constantly ask is whether players from the Mourinho/Solskjær/Rangnick era are still at the club. It was a big debate during Ten Hag’s tenure and has been revived given his recent dismissal.

Club legend and pundit Gary Neville said that in his opinion, “Manchester United goalkeeper is the most difficult position in football.” De Gea was, rightly or not, the subject of constant criticism in his final years at the club.

Ten Hag made the decision to bring in his former Ajax goalkeeper André Onana as he tried to implement his tactic.

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It’s still early in his United career but Onana has struggled to find consistent form. The 3-3 draw against Galatasaray in the Champions League stands out as one of their worst performances. They won the FA Cup last season but kept just nine clean sheets in their first league campaign. Defensive uncertainties and injuries haven’t helped Onana either.

Clean sheets are not only achieved by goalkeepers (the entire team plays a key role in today’s match), but last season was a big disappointment finishing eighth with only 60 points. If it weren’t for the FA Cup, United wouldn’t be playing European games this season. Not to mention, United have just 11 points from a possible 27 and are currently 14th in the Premier League. The Red Devils also drew their first three Europa League games.

Not everything depends on Onana and she will probably be a key part of the next coach’s teambut there are no certainties about the arrival of a new boss.

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De Gea is also not the only former United player to have made a good start in Serie A this season. Scott McTominay has made eight appearances for league leaders Napoli under Antonio Conte. He has completed 90 goals in six consecutive games, registering three goal involvements playing alongside Billy Gilmour and André-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

Whether he stays at Fiorentina for the next 10 years or moves to another club, De Gea has a lot to offer in his career.

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