It continues to go from bad to worse for Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea.
For years the Red Devils No.1 has often been the responsible for winning points for the Old Trafford outfit, but over the last month the tables have turned dramatically against the Spain international.
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The latest error came late in the first half against Chelsea, as Antonio Rudiger tried a hopeful shot from distance.
De Gea could have elected to punch or try to catch, but instead he did neither and spilled the ball weakly into the path of Marcos Alonso. The Chelsea man made no mistake and put the chance into the back of net, cancelling out Juan Mata’s earlier strike which had put United in front.
It was the latest in a brutal stretch of four games for De Gea, during which he has made three errors leading to goals. That is more than he made in his previous 123 matches for United.
Overall, De Gea’s made four errors leading to goals this season with only Asmir Begovic and Bernd Leno having made more at five each.
Those struggles have left De Gea being compared with the likes of Loris Karius, whose infamous mistakes last season helped cost Liverpool a potential Champions League title against Real Madrid in the final.
And these days fans and pundits have been left to question what has happened to a player who was near-universally considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world and whether he can get it sorted in time to get United’s top-four hopes back on track.
Two big questions !!!
— Jan Aage Fjortoft (@JanAageFjortoft) April 28, 2019
Is there life in space?
What has happened to De Gea?
De Gea the last 10 games..
— T (@ToyTweets_) April 28, 2019
pic.twitter.com/Z5wBmwpdga
David De Gea highkey transforming into Loris Karius, you love to see it👏👌
— ConorYNWA1 🇮🇪 (@conorYNWA1) April 28, 2019
De Gea needs to get in touch with these guys #DeGea #SpaceJammed pic.twitter.com/8IuT1RIobo
— Matt Chapman (@chapman24_matt) April 28, 2019
David De Gea in goal these days... #MUNCHE pic.twitter.com/BKT5n4cMlk
— BenchWarmers (@BeWarmers) April 28, 2019
Man Utd playing best in ages. But mistake not to rest De Gea when they have as good a No2 as Romero. Paid price for that decision.
— Ian Darke (@IanDarke) April 28, 2019
J Stand chanting De Gea's name. Stretford End will doubtless warmly applaud him when he re-emerges. Deserves to be cut some slack but his form rivals his first six months at the club. #mufc
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) April 28, 2019
David De Gea right now 👀 #MUNCHE pic.twitter.com/iyYCirF60X
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) April 28, 2019
How’s David De Gea gone from #1 in the world to Fabin Barthez?
— GRM Daily (@GRMDAILY) April 28, 2019
De Gea costing us Top 4 on his own. What an unlikely source of disappointment, he’s saved us for so many years, this year he’s lost us games on his own. #mufc
— Hesham Bilal-Hafiz (@hesham786) April 28, 2019
We’ve been saying “imagine where United would finish without De Gea” for last few seasons. Seems like he’s gonna finally show us. Wow.
— Kyle Martino (@kylemartino) April 28, 2019
David de Gea has now made more errors directly leading to an opposition goal this season than in the previous five seasons combined.
— Adam Bate (@ghostgoal) April 28, 2019
When De Gea meets Karius pic.twitter.com/J0ZCsrvo5n
— MP92 (@mlpmoz92) April 28, 2019
Anyone suggesting that David De Gea should be dropped or subbed off could do with going back and watching Manchester United’s matches from the years 2014 to 2018.
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) April 28, 2019
🗣 Chelsea: “We’re going to blow our chances of reaching top four”
— ODDSbible (@ODDSbible) April 28, 2019
🗣 De Gea: “Hold my... never mind I’ve just dropped it” pic.twitter.com/Moomfp5NEY
De Gea's agent right now trying to negotiate that contract #MUFC pic.twitter.com/m0JvMi6HlU
— Brett Phipps (@InverteBrett) April 28, 2019