"Thankfully we had the best goalkeeper in the world tonight" - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lauds Manchester United star for heroics against Villarreal

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised David de Gea for his heroics against Villarreal
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has praised David de Gea for his heroics against Villarreal

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has heaped praise on David de Gea for his incredible performance against Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Villarreal dominated proceedings at Old Trafford but were unlucky to lose the game. De Gea was in inspired form as he made a number of incredible saves to keep his side in the game.

After the game, Solskjaer stated that the Spanish shot-stopper was his man of the match despite Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the winning goal for Manchester United. The Norwegian manager said in the post-match press conference:

"Thankfully we had the best goalkeeper in the world tonight. David was fantastic. Second-half they had more of the ball, it was open and they deserved to lead."
'[De Gea] had a difficult summer. He went to the Euros and didn't play there, but he's really come back with a determination, a work rate, that I enjoy. Again he got a deserved outcome. He saved us tonight. We have to be realistic and say that we've got two good keepers in Tom and Dean, but today David deserves Man of the Match."

Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Villarreal took them up to third place in Group F in the Champions League.

The Red Devils bounced back from a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League last weekend. They face a tricky test against Everton on Saturday.


David de Gea's return to form has come at the right time for Manchester United

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea put in a scintillating performance against Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League
Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea put in a scintillating performance against Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League

David de Gea's dip in form over the last two seasons has been a major source of concern for Manchester United and their fans.

The Spaniard was widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world prior to the 2019-20 season. However, he lost his place in Manchester United's starting line-up to Dean Henderson mid-way through last season.

The 30-year-old retained his place in the Red Devils' starting line-up at the start of the current season. He has so far justified Solskjaer's decision to start him ahead of Henderson.

Manchester United will require David de Gea to be at the top of his game as they look to challenge for the Premier League title and Champions League this season.

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh