Carrick talks up de Gea before United’s meeting with Arsenal

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David de Gea has been back to his best form for much of the 2021/22 campaign so far.

He made an impressive early save from Callum Hudson-Odoi in the opening stages of United’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday.

Caretaker manager Michael Carrick played alongside de Gea and knows how good he can be at his best.

In an interview with the club website, Carrick talked up de Gea and how important he can be to this United side.

“Yeah, David has done what he does,” said Carrick when asked whether de Gea deserves to win the club’s player of the month award for November.

“I thought the first save, from [Callum] Hudson-Odoi, kind of epitomising how important he can be for us at a crucial time of the game, so early in the game.

“That is when you need your goalkeeper to step up and that almost gave us a platform to take on for the rest of the game.

“He’s been making many of those saves over the years, David, and I’m sure he’ll make plenty more.”

So far this term, De Gea has comprehensibly won the battle for the number one spot which was keenly contested with Dean Henderson last season.

Ralf Rangnick may ask his United side to play with a higher defensive line, which could put pressure on de Gea to play more proactively behind them than he does now.

But in terms pure shot-stopping, de Gea has been strong, as he usually is at his best.

Carrick will be hoping his number one is not pressed into action quite so early tonight, but if he is, de Gea usually answers the call impressively.

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