Lindegaard: Early goals a concern

Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard is concerned how often the side has fallen behind in matches this season.

United have conceded the first goal in 13 of 20 matches across all competitions this season, although they have often risen to the occasion, having won nine of those games.

The most recent example of this was in Saturday’s 3-1 win over last-placed QPR as Jamie Mackie put the struggling London side ahead, only for United to respond with a devastating spell of three goals in eight minutes from Jonny Evans, Darren Fletcher and Javier Hernandez.

Combined with Manchester City’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea, the result was enough to see United return to the top of the Premier League table.

But Lindegaard knows that conceding the first goal may ultimately be very costly indeed.

“We should be concerned. It is a bad habit,” Lindegaard told the Manchester Evening News.

“We have to look at it. I just asked one of my team-mates afterwards, ‘what would have happened if we hadn’t conceded a goal?’ It was like a wake-up call.

“It is very disappointing.”

Lindegaard also denied that he would be replaced in goal by regular United custodian David de Gea once the Spaniard had recovered from having his wisdom teeth out.

Lindegaard has started for United in the Premier League loss to Norwich, the Champions League defeat to Galatasary and last weekend’s win over QPR, and he believes he has a real shot of making the goalkeeper position his own, even if the sometimes shaky De Gea is fit.

“The tendency lately is that David has played,” said Lindegaard.

“Unfortunately for him, he has been out with a teeth problem which I am trying to benefit from.

“I still don’t see a clear picture on how things are going to develop throughout the season.

“It is not more than a week ago I read in a Danish paper that ‘Lindegaard had lost the battle’, which says a lot about how ignorant they are.”