LONDON: Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has backed new goalkeeper David de Gea to come good despite the Spaniard’s shaky start to his career at Old Trafford.
The highly rated 18 million pounds signing has been at fault for goals conceded against Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion so far this season, suggesting the former Atletico Madrid guardian may take time to settle in England.
However Ferguson is in no doubt that United have acquired a goalkeeper of the highest quality as they attempt to fill the vacancy created by Edwin van der Sar’s retirement at the end of last season.
“David made a couple of mistakes in his first games, which we didn’t expect and nor did he,” Ferguson told Inside United.
“It was unusual because his form at Atletico Madrid as an 18-year-old was sensational.”
De Gea’s next test comes against Bolton on Saturday, with the physical approach favoured by Wanderers striker Kevin Davies likely to mean the United keeper is in for another turbulent afternoon.
Ferguson is confident the Spaniard will rise to the challenge however.
“There is no doubt we have a player of great potential. Our job at this club is to realise that potential and make sure he becomes a top goalkeeper,” Ferguson added.
“He’ll do that once he gains experience and adapt to the physical nature of the league.”
“It is a different game here compared to Spain – there are more crosses to deal with and there is more contact. Bit by bit, we will get there with him.”
Fabio backs England kids to shed baggage of World Cup : Meanwhile, coach Fabio Capello is planning to rebuild his England team with younger players who do not carry the baggage of failure at past tournaments.
Though the Italian was reluctant to go too deeply into the issue, he thinks some of the more senior players are scarred by the bitter disappointment of previous tournaments and qualification campaigns, including the failure at last year’s World Cup, and by the criticism that follows the failure.
According to the Daily Mail, Capello is now keen to promote players not saddled with that baggage, and hopes they can displace some of the more senior members of the squad permanently.
While John Terry, Wayne Rooney, Ashley Cole and Steven Gerrard can still be confident of a place in the team, players like Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry, James Milner and Rio Ferdinand are starting to look more vulnerable. (Agencies)
