De Gea looked rather lost in English football for quite some time but at United they always recognised the talent.
They recognised the problems of physique, judgement and confidence, too, but never lost sight of the fact they had signed a goalkeeper about whom Spanish No 1 Iker Casillas famously commented ‘one day he will retire us all’.
Maybe now, three years on, that time has come. Yesterday at a relieved Old Trafford, De Gea earned his team victory with an outstanding performance. As United clung on in the face of Everton’s energy and ambition, De Gea, 23, produced two saves of the highest quality in injury-time.
More than that, he completed his own transformation from greenhorn to a goalkeeper of genuine Old Trafford stature. When you consider some of those who have gone before, that is quite something.
There was a penalty save, too, yesterday. Oddly, though, his plunging save from Leighton Baines’ poorly struck effort was rendered insignificant when compared to his contribution at the back end of the second half.
Leading from just after the hour, United had once again found themselves treading water late on. Just as they had against West Ham a week earlier, Louis van Gaal’s team were unable to keep the ball well enough to see the game through comfortably.Instead they found themselves hanging on.
Leon Osman was the first Everton player thwarted by De Gea. Making good contact with a volley after a corner had been cleared to the edge of the penalty area, De Gea not only saved Osman’s shot as the ball flew between Antonio Valencia’s legs, he also held onto it.
Certainly that was good goalkeeping. What followed in was somewhat better.
In the 92nd minute, Osman was played clear by Everton goalscorer Steven Naismith. The midfielder was not clean through but had daylight ahead of him and his right-foot shot seemed set for De Gea’s net until the goalkeeper turned it aside with a strong hand.
Better was to come.
Moments later, a Baines delivery to the far post was headed down into the melee around the six yard line. Young Tyler Blackett’s bravery in repelling Gareth Barry’s subsequent half-volley was commendable but the save De Gea then produced to touch Bryan Oviedo’s follow-up shot into the Stretford End will rarely be bettered at this famous stadium.
Had De Gea’s gloves been a slightly tighter fit he certainly wouldn’t have saved it and Everton would have had the draw they perhaps deserved.
Afterwards, Van Gaal was honest enough to say De Gea had saved his team. The goalkeeper had not masked United’s deficiencies in terms of ball-retention but he had done enough to ensure they didn’t cost his team the points that have seen them slip almost unnoticed into the top four.
Earlier, United had seemed as though they might stroll away with the game. Van Gaal’s team began with purpose and energy and by the time they took the lead in the 27th minute Radamel Falcao had headed one clear chance straight at Tim Howard while Robin van Persie had volleyed another over the bar.
Most of the early danger had come down the left as Angel di Maria and Luke Shaw combined to terrorise Tony Hibbert. The goal arrived down the right, however, as Phil Jagielka could not clear Rafael’s cross far enough and Juan Mata set up Di Maria to finish astutely with his right instep.
Soon after, Di Maria had Howard scrambling across goal to touch over a deflected free kick and it briefly appeared that United may go on to seal the game efficiently.
That is not the United way at the moment, though, and Everton would have been back in the game sooner had Baines not made a mess of the 45th-minute penalty given for a reckless Shaw challenge on Hibbert.
As it was, parity for Roberto Martinez’s team arrived in the 52nd minute as Baines earned some kind of redemption by planting a typically accurate cross on to the head of Naismith. He found the roof of the net from seven yards.
Jagielka then saw a header cleared from the line by Falcao as United threatened to implode. A rash Howard clearance gave United unexpected possession just after the hour and when Di Maria dragged a shot from 25 yards across goal, Falcao was alert enough to divert it past the Everton keeper for his first United goal.
Di Maria and Falcao were excellent at times on Sunday. If they remain fit, we will see more of that. How Di Maria was given the man-of-the-match award by TV was a mystery, though. This was David’s day.
