‘Is he good enough?’ - Man Utd legend expects waiting game over star’s future after West Ham defeat

Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand believes Red Devils goalkeeper David de Gea still has something to prove to Erik ten Hag before a firm decision is made over his future

The Spain international has been questioned on several occasions in recent weeks and he was met with further criticism when his error cost United in their defeat at West Ham United on Sunday night. The 32-year-old allowed a weak shot from Hammers winger Said Benrahma to escape his grasp as David Moyes’ side claimed a win that all but secure their Premier League status.

The error comes as De Gea is involved in contract talks with United as he looks to extend his 12-year stay at Old Trafford - but Ferdinand insisted United supporters may face ‘a waiting game’ before they discover what the future holds for their current number one stopper.

He told BT Sport: “I think he’s made an error in terms of shot-saving, but I think the question mark over him is about if he is good with his feet to play the Erik ten Hag way.

“In terms of shot-stopping, yes he’s made a mistake today but that’s not the area where I question him at all. It’s just is he a good enough footballer to play for Manchester United and the only person that can answer that is Erik ten Hag. We will know at the end of the season. If he gets a new deal, Erik ten Hag thinks he’s more than good enough to be his number one goalkeeper. We just have to play the waiting game right now and see what the manager says because he’s the one with the definitive answer.”

Former Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch believes the Red Devils find themselves in a ‘Catch-22 situation’ with De Gea’s high-profile errors coming at a time when he has kept more clean sheets than any other Premier League goalkeeper so far this season.

He said: “It’s a strange one because he’s conceded goals from his mistakes but he’s also kept the most clean sheets in the Premier League. It’s a Catch-22 situation. He’s in contract negotiations, making mistakes like that is never going to help but he’s been a top class keeper over the years at Manchester United but at the moment, this season, it feels like he’s making big errors in big games.”