EPL manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer responds to Roy Keane's astonishing David de Gea outburst
EPL legend Roy Keane was pulling no punches of his assessment of Manchester United David de Gea, as he slammed the shot-stopper for his error against Tottenham Hotspur. The two sides locked horns in their first EPL game since the restart, as they looked to pip one another in the race for a Champions League spot.
De Gea made the headlines for the wrong reasons once again, as he made another costly error for the opening goal of the game. The Red Devils pegged back through Bruno Fernandes in the second half and secured a hard-fought point, leaving United in a decent position to secure a top-four finish.
However, Keane showed no sympathy towards De Gea, as he lashed onto the Spanish shot-stopper for his first-half blunder.
"I'm shocked. I'm shocked at that goal. I've watched a lot of football over the years. I'm fuming watching this game of football. I'm staggered at Maguire. I'm sick to death of this goalkeeper."
"That goalkeeper [De Gea]. The most overrated goalkeeper I've seen in a long, long time. I wouldn't even let him on the bus after the game. Let him take a taxi back to Manchester."
The former Manchester United captain's comments were made aware to Solskjaer after the game. Unsurprisingly, the EPL manager defender his goalkeeper, who was also referred to as the most overrated goalkeeper of all time by Keane.
EPL goalkeeper De Gea receives Solskjaer's backing
"Roy [Keane] was a fantastic midfielder, and a good friend of mine, but I'm not sure he'd have stopped it. David [de Gea] was a bit disappointed, but the ball was moving."
Keane and Solskjaer played together in the EPL and were both key members of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad that dominated English football for several years. The Northern Irishman has never shied away from criticising players and is one of the most brutally honest pundits around, as was the case with his remarks about De Gea earlier.
Solskjaer, however, was having none of it. The EPL manager backed his goalkeeper and added that his team's performance did not reflect on the result.
"Bit disappointed we didn't win. Football is strange. Last year Spurs absolutely battered us for 40 minutes and today it is the opposite. The performance is the pleasing thing."
Manchester United are fifth on the EPL standings and are just two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. However, the Blues have a game in hand and should extend the gap to five when they take on Aston Villa in the weekend.
Additionally, Sheffield United are also breathing down Manchester United's neck and are just two points adrift of the Red Devils with a game in hand.
The EPL top-four race looks set to go to the wire, and with a favourable run of fixtures on the horizon, Solskjaer's side will aim to string together a run of wins in the coming weeks.
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