David De Gea's Blunder Costs Manchester United in Race for Champions League
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David De Gea had a day to forget on Sunday as his blunder cost Manchester United in their 1-0 defeat at West Ham. The result leaves United in a precarious position in the race for Champions League qualification, with just one point separating them from Liverpool in fifth place.
De Gea had just become the most-capped goalkeeper in Manchester United’s history, appearing for the 540th time to move ahead of Alex Stepney, but his day was marred by a catastrophic first-half error. With United dominating the opening period, De Gea let Said Benrahma’s tame shot squirm past him in the 27th minute. The defeat came after United had suffered the pain of conceding a last-gasp penalty in their defeat at Brighton on Thursday.
The result hinged on De Gea’s blunder and left United manager Erik ten Hag disappointed. He defended his goalkeeper but said his team were still in control of their destiny this season with four league games left to play. “Mistakes are part of football and in this team you have to deal with it and bounce back because it is a team sport,” he said.
The defeat leaves United just one point ahead of Liverpool in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League, even though they still have a game in hand. West Ham, on the other hand, have edged closer to safety and are now seven points clear of the relegation zone.
United had a number of chances to equalise, hitting the post twice in the first half and having a goal ruled out for offside in the second. However, they could not find a way back and ultimately paid the price for De Gea’s error.
The result will be a huge blow for United, who had been heavy favourites to finish in the Premier League’s top four just a few days ago. With just four games left to play, they will have to dig deep if they are to secure Champions League qualification and avoid a season of disappointment.
