MY ACCOUNT
Alex Ferguson and Erik ten Hag have led a cast of legends and players congratulating goalkeeper David de Gea after the Spaniard set a new clean sheet record at Manchester United.
De Gea recorded his 181st shut-out to surpass Peter Schmeichel’s record as United beat Newcastle 2-0 at Wembley Stadium to lift the EFL Cup on Sunday, adding another medal to his collection.
United released a video of thanks on their website with the likes of Ferguson, Ten Hag and Bruno Fernandes taking centre stage along with some other familiar faces.
Ferguson said: “David, congratulations to think all those years back then when I signed you as a young kid, you’ve beaten all the goalkeeping records at this football club, I just want to say well done you deserve it so enjoy the moment, thanks very much for your service to the club.”
“David, in a massive career to collect a clean sheet record in this massive club it’s a huge performance,” said Ten Hag.
“I hope to come many more clean sheets and to make this record even sharper because as you know the clean sheets are the base for winning games and for winning trophies.
“You’ve beaten all the goalkeeping records at this football club.”
Team-mate Fernandes added: “I think everyone is really happy for you, you deserve that, you deserve to be in that position, you are a legend for the club you know that.
“Hopefully you will get more and more clean sheets in this season and for the future also because I hope we can keep you here with us for so many years.”
Rio Ferdinand said: “Broke the record for clean sheets, man. Never, ever in doubt. Always backed you my guy. Keep up the good work.”
United captain Harry Maguire called De Gea “an absolute legend of the club”.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live after beating the record, De Gea said he was thrilled by the achievement.
“To win the final and break the record in the same day is unbelievable,” he said.
It took De Gea 523 games to pass Schmeichel’s clean sheet record and 522 to equal it, while it took the Dane 398 games, with 128 of those shut-outs coming in the Premier League.
The 32-year-old was signed by Ferguson back in 2011 from Atletico Madrid and has won the Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and EFL Cup during his time at the club.
De Gea became the first non-British player to surpass 400 Premier League appearances and sits joint fourth with David Seaman in the all-time Premier League clean sheet rankings with 140.
