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It has been a very difficult season for Manchester United, with the club currently playing catch up to their rivals. Lying fifth on the Premier League table and possibly out of the EFL Cup, Man United could once again endure a disappointing season.
A major contributing factor to this has been the poor form of some players, one of whom is goalkeeper David de Gea. The Spanish shot-stopper has not been at his best for the past two years and things are only getting worse.
For many years the Spaniard was the club’s best player, as he always kept the sticks with top-level performances. However, over the last 18 months, De Gea has been a pale shadow of himself.
From failing to command his goal area, to conceding cheap goals, it has been one howler after another. In this period, Sergio Romero has maintained a fine form and has staked a claim to usurp the Spain international in the Man United first team.
Below are three reasons why Romero deserves to replace De Gea as Man United first-choice goalkeeper.
#3 David de Gea has badly lost form
The David de Gea Man United fans are currently seeing is not of the same level as the one they previously knew. The Spain international won back-to-back Player of the Year awards for his consistency between the sticks.
However, he is currently badly out of form. In truth, it has been like this for almost two years now. De Gea was a pale shadow of himself during the 2018 World Cup and that poor form continued into the 2018-19 season, where he uncharacteristically let in many cheap goals.
He is gradually becoming known for high-profile howlers and one of such charitable efforts against Chelsea last season was what ended Man United’s top-four hopes. This season, he has kept just four clean sheets in 24 Premier League games. That is poor by his standards.
On the contrary, Sergio Romero has been ticking all the right boxes and it is perhaps time for the Argentine to have his chance as the Red Devils’ first choice goalie.
#2 Sergio Romero has always delivered when picked
Sergio Romero is undoubtedly the best second-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League. The 32-year-old is one of the model professionals at Man United and has often delivered top-level performances when given the chance to keep the sticks.
Although most of his appearances have been in the cup games, the Argentine rarely sulks. Rather, he gives his best and is always ready to take his chance. Romero’s aerial awareness and his save percentage are impeccable.
One might argue that he faces lesser opposition, but the fact is that his clean sheet record cannot be underrated. The Argentine goalie remains one of the biggest legacies Louis van Gaal left at the Theatre of Dreams.
For a goalkeeper who has always delivered when picked, it is only fair that he is given his chance in the spotlight. De Gea has done a lot for Manchester United in the past, but he is currently short of confidence and his instability is costing the team.
The howlers are becoming one too many and the earlier Ole Gunnar Solskjaer takes the Spaniard out of the firing line, the better it would be for all parties involved. Romero has done enough to claim a spot as the Man United #1 goalkeeper.
#1 Sergio Romero is currently more reliable than David de Gea
Allegiance to good servants is always a good thing, but it could become toxic when it affects the collective effort. This is exactly where Manchester United is with regards to the David de Gea situation.
The Spaniard is not delivering but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer just cannot drop him. Therefore, the Norwegian may be forced to start looking at his second-choice goalkeeper. Sergio Romero has been at the club since 2014, and in that period, he has proven to be very dependable.
Romero is currently a more reliable goalkeeper than the Spaniard. He has conceded just two goals in 10 games this season, compared to De Gea’s 29 in 24 Premier League games.
Romero’s record in the cup games, where he’s mostly played, is up there with the best. For instance, he has impressively kept 8 clean sheets in 10 games this season. The Argentine has proven to be a reliable backup goalie and the decline of De Gea should see Romero take his place as first-choice soon.
