Ajax coach Erik ten Hag has come to the defense of Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea following his costly error in the team’s 1-0 defeat to West Ham United.
De Gea allowed a rather tame shot from Said Benrahma to find the back of the net in the 27th minute of the game. The mistake, along with his poor distribution throughout the match, has led to calls from some Manchester United fans for the goalkeeper not to be offered a new contract.
However, Ten Hag disagreed with this sentiment and expressed his support for De Gea during a post-match press conference. He stated, “Of course, we want him to sign a new contract. We would not be here in this position without him.”
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It was reported in April that Manchester United were close to reaching an agreement with De Gea on a new contract with reduced terms. The club holds an option to extend his current deal by one year but is instead looking to negotiate a longer-term contract with a lower wage for the goalkeeper.
Speaking in his post-match interview with BT Sport, the Man Utd manager continued his defence of the goalkeeper, saying that ‘mistakes are part of football’:
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“Mistakes are part of football and in this team, you have to deal with it and bounce back because it is a team sport. Over the season he is the one with the most clean sheets and also we did it as a team. It can happen, it’s football but everybody has to take responsibility.”
The defeat to West Ham was Manchester United’s second consecutive away defeat, following their loss to Brighton and Hove Albion.
When asked about the team’s performance levels, Ten Hag acknowledged disappointment with the results and stated that the second halves of both matches fell below the team’s standards.
He emphasized the need for energy during the upcoming week, as the team prepares for their next fixtures.
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