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Manchester United: Should David De Gea lose his spot?

By Keith Lisenbee

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 19: David De Gea of Manchester United stretches to make a save during the FA Cup Semi Final match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on July 19, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Andy Rain/Pool via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 19: David De Gea of Manchester United stretches to make a save during the FA Cup Semi Final match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on July 19, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Andy Rain/Pool via Getty Images) /
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Manchester United
David De Gea, Manchester United (Photo by Andy Rain/Pool via Getty Images) /

De Gea is not having his best season, but it’s not his worst.

In the summer of 2011, Manchester United paid a hefty price tag of $27.5 million for their new goalkeeper. Nearly two year later, David De Gea was lifting the Premier League trophy as a champion.

David has been known as one of the best goalkeepers in the world for the majority of the last nine seasons at United. However, his stock has fallen over the previous two campaigns.

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His market value, according to Transfermarkt, was at its peak at the end of the 2017-18 season when it stood at $77 million. That year was arguably his best in a United shirt.

Right now, David’s market value rests at $44 million.

The Spaniard had a save percentage of 80.7%, tops in the English top flight. He also led in clean sheets with 18. However, he faced the league’s lowest expected goals per shot on target (xG/SoT), 0.27.

That season was arguably José Mourinho’s best at Manchester United, and if you listened to him, his best coaching job. Ever. In 2017-18, an offensively depleted Red Devils finished second in the Prem.

The next season was one of De Gea’s worst as United spiraled towards mediocrity, and the José era ended, and the Ole is at the wheel era began. His save percentage dropped to 71.6%, seventh in the EPL, and only managed seven clean sheets. His defense did not help as the expected goals per shot on target rose to 0.29.

In reality, De Gea has improved this season.

As MUFC has fought for a Champions League slot, his save percentage is 73.0%, which is fifth-best, and he has 12 clean sheets in league competition. United’s defense has improved, but the xG/SoT has remained the same as last season.

However, there is one statistic that is worrisome regarding David’s performance.

The post shot expected goals minus goals allowed ratio (PSxG +/-) is a measure of both how lucky and adept a goaltender has been at stopping shots. De Gea was best in the Premier League in 2017-18 in this metric with a ratio of +12.1.

That figure dropped the following season to +2.1, eighth-best. This year it has fallen even further down to +1.4, which is 13th.

The 29-year-old is not in his best form, and Manchester United needs to look at their options.

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