By Daily Sports Nigeria on January 5, 2023
David de Gea believes Manchester United’s new-found defensive steel will be strong enough to put a dent in Manchester City’s title challenge in next week’s derby. City visit Old Trafford in nine days’ time (January 14) just over three months since rattling six past them at the Etihad in the season’s first fight for bragging rights.
But after a fourth clean sheet in a row against Bournemouth and no league goals conceded at home since October, De Gea waved a red rag at the City bull and challenged them to charge. Asked about defending a clean sheet record in the league stretching back four months against Erling Haaland and co, De Gea said he was optimistic.
“That’s how it should be to come here – it should be a tough place for the teams. Let’s see in the future. We are playing really well, we have to keep the momentum as much as we can,” he said.
“Everyone is ready, everyone is focused, everyone is training really well. Everyone is in the same direction, so this is massive.”
Next week’s game will be the 23rd derby appearance for De Gea – his first coming back in October 2011 in a match that also saw him ship six goals in a 6-1 defeat.
But the Spanish goalkeeper, 32, who confirmed he was confident of shaking hands on a new deal which could see him finish his career at Old Trafford, believes the transformative effect of Ten Hag since October will not see a repeat of either result.
“The manager is doing well. I say before, he puts every player in the same direction and we feel like a proper team,” he said. “Everyone wants to win, everyone wants to play for this club and that’s massive.
“He brought a great spirit to the team, we are playing really well and this is the way we have to show and keep the momentum as well. It doesn’t matter who is playing.
“Even the subs today, it doesn’t matter who came in, they put everything on the pitch, we have great team spirit and for me it’s great to see the players play in this way.” De Gea said talks on his own future look likely to “end in a good way” with him staying for the rest of his career.
“I hope so. I was saying this is my club,” he said. “I’ve been here many, many years and it’s a huge honour to be here and I’m so happy here.”
Source Sporting Sun
Posted January 5, 2023
You may also like...
Mikel ‘very likely’ to leave Chelsea in January...
Orji Okonkwo suffers groin injury in Bologna 17-0...
Six Foreign Coaches Battle For Super Falcons’ Job...
Morata injured as Chelsea draw final Europa League...
Bayern Survive Scare At Bochum To Reach German...
English Football Boycotts Social Media

Itauma unfazed by Usyk threat
Arsenal win English Premier League after Man City draw at Bournemouth
AFCON qualifiers: Nigeria face Madagascar, Tanzania, G’Bissau
FIFA WORLD CUP 2026: Dreaming of Olise, Musiala, Eze, Saka - Priceless Jewels Nigeria Lost to Treachery
D’Tigress star Musa wins historic French double
2026 WTT Contender Lagos serves off
Tabugbo eyes Commonwealth Games success
Adeshina to headline PFL Africa Lagos debut
Amusan targets World Ultimate Champs qualification
Joshua, Fury must not lose next fight – Hearn
I’m enjoying best period of my career – Osimhen
EFN, NUC move to integrate esports into Nigerian varsitie
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,788 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,112 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,067 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,633 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,548 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,453 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,287 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,846 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,031 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,528 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,957 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,405 views)