David de Gea's decline could pave way for Dean Henderson to be Man United's No. 1

Manchester United have a major decision to make over their number one choice between the sticks following another disastrous performance by David de Gea in the Red Devils' FA Cup semi-final defeat against Chelsea. David de Gea was at fault for the opening two goals in the 3-1 defeat against Frank Lampard's Blues which led to United crashing out of the tournament. Unsurprisingly, the De Gea errors over the past 18 months or so have led a number of fans and pundits to believe that the Spaniard needs to be axed with United's on-loan star Dean Henderson in line to nail down the No. 1 spot between the sticks for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer next campaign. 

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Man United goalkeepers dilemma: David de Gea errors costing Man United dear this season

Despite playing a reliable role in Man United's backline for nearly a decade, De Gea has come under heavy scrutiny for his below-par displays this season. United missed out on the opportunity to win their first trophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when they crashed out in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea on Sunday night. The United shot-stopper should have done better when dealing with Olivier Giroud's flick for the opening goal. For Chelsea's second goal, De Gea allowed a relatively easy save from Mason Mount to squirm under his grasp. Solskjaer had, in fact, opted to start with De Gea over Sergio Romero, who regularly features in domestic cup competitions. 

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David de Gea contract at Man United: De Gea errors in the PL

De Gea's performance in the Premier League against Tottenham last month had Man United legend Roy Keane fuming as the Irishman labelled De Gea as the 'most overrated goalkeeper' he has ever seen after allowing Steven Bergwijn's goal to pass through under his arms. Against Everton, De Gea's schoolboy error gifted the Toffees the opener in March when his clearance rebounded off Dominic Calvert-Lewin and into the net. Another one of the many De Gea errors this season came against Watford when Ismaila Sarr's 'slow-motion' shot slid through the grasp of the 29-year-old. These errors by De Gea have led to United dropping points along the season and they now find themselves in a tight race to finish inside the top four.

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The De Gea contract situation seems to be another major concern for Man United. De Gea signed a contract extension worth £375,000 a week with United in September, which makes him the highest-paid player at the club. However, with De Gea's form in steep decline, United are reportedly planning to axe their first-choice keeper. There has been plenty of talk around United's on-loan 'keeper, Dean Henderson, preparing to take over as the number one choice next season.

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Dean Henderson set to replace De Gea as Man United's number one?

Dean Henderson has enjoyed another fruitful season with Sheffield United this term after achieving promotion with the Blades. Henderson has played a vital role for Sheffield United to push Chris Wilder's men up to eighth on the league table. The Englishman has kept a total of 13 clean sheets in the PL this season in comparison to De Gea's 12, however, De Gea has played two games more than Henderson. Henderson has also made four saves more than De Gea's 91 this term but the major talking point is the Englishman's command of his penalty area. 

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De Gea has made only nine punches and seven high claims this season in comparison to Henderson's 14 punches and 15 claims. Another major difference between the two keepers is the accurate long passing. Henderson has recorded 253 accurate long balls this season in comparison to De Gea's 90. Considering that Henderson is also only 23 years old, his energy and enthusiasm could provide a big lift for Man United in their last line of defence as De Gea's lapses in concentration have proved to be more than costly for United this season.

Image Credits - AP / Dean Henderson Instagram