Klopp, Van Gaal disagree on De Gea

Jurgen Klopp and Louis van Gaal had contrasting views on the performance of David de Gea in the aftermath of Manchester United’s crucial 1-0 win at Liverpool on Sunday.

United captain Wayne Rooney settled a low-key encounter with a goal 12 minutes from time at Anfield, setting the record for the most goals scored for a single Premier League club in the process.

Rooney may not have had the opportunity to be the match winner if it were not for De Gea, though, with the Spain goalkeeper making fine saves from Adam Lallana and Emre Can with the scores still level.

Speaking after the match, Liverpool manager Klopp felt that De Gea was the difference between the great rivals.

“I’m not in the best place in the stadium to talk about finishing, I have to watch the game again,” he said. 

“I know we didn’t score a goal. I couldn’t even say if De Gea touched the ball or not but he is the man of the match right?”

However, Van Gaal – while praising the standards of his goalkeeper – does not feel that De Gea pulled off anything out of the ordinary and says he would expect the Spain keeper to make the saves he did.

“Everybody is saying that [he was man of the match] but so many of the balls he has not stopped, otherwise you don’t need a goalkeeper,” the Dutchman said. 

“I think that’s why he is our goalkeeper. I have to say he is always reaching a very high level so I’m very happy but I cannot say he has done a lot.

“He has stopped the balls he has to stop. Maybe that one-hand [save from a Can shot], but I think he has to stop that ball.

“I demand it also of the player, that’s why he is playing for Manchester United.”