Following his mistake in allowing West Ham United to score on Sunday at the London Stadium, Michail Antonio claimed that Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea had "crazy moments" in his performance.
Everyone in the stadium believed David de Gea would easily catch the ball when West Ham playmaker Said Benrahma decided to take a long shot with the game scoreless in the first half.
Erik ten Hag's team lost consecutive games, which allowed Liverpool to gain entry into the Champions League, therefore it turned out to be an expensive mistake for the £365k-per-week star (Spotrac).
While it was heartbreaking for those in Manchester, Claret and Blue fans were ecstatic since those points should now keep them in the game. Michail Antonio talking about David de Gea's crazy episodes on The Footballer's Football Show.
“I can’t slate the man,” said Antonio. “I don’t really want to slate the man. But de Gea has got to do better.
“I don’t understand. He is such a good keeper. But he has these moments. I feel so bad for the guy. He was up there as one of the best keepers in the world, even though he is up there, he still has these crazy moments.
“That goal. It was so slow. When I saw the shot I thought ‘he is just going to collect this’.”
With three points against Manchester United, David Moyes' team, who has 37 points, should now be able to maintain their position.
De Gea offered it as a gift, but they complied, took it, and earned the points along with the much-needed clean sheet.
Manchester United must now keep an eye on fifth-placed Liverpool, who are currently on a six-game winning streak and think they have a chance to clinch their Champions League spot in the coming weeks.
Regarding West Ham, all eyes will be on Europe and their Thursday night Europa Conference League semifinal matchup against AZ Alkmaar.
De Gea, according to The Mirror, has agreed to a new contract to stay with Erik ten Hag's team, but his status as the club's first-choice keeper is not guaranteed to remain the same.
According to the source, United is also considering signing David Raya of Brentford and Diogo Costa, a player from Portugal, both of whom they feel would complement Ten Hag's style of play well owing to their great distribution.
In order to extend his stay at Manchester United past the current campaign, David de Gea has agreed to the terms of a new deal.
Before making an announcement, United must approve the framework of a deal, which includes a reduced base wage and incentives for participating in games and performing well in competitions.
When the team was playing in the Champions League, De Gea was paid more than £350,000 a week; however, United did not wish to exercise their one-year option on his contract.
The club attempted to retain De Gea by offering him a reduced salary but longer terms after disclosing losses in their financial results and a rising wage cost. Ultimately, this was accomplished.
De Gea has made some questionable decisions this season, most notably against West Ham last weekend when he let Said Benrahma's soft shot to slip past him. He was also at fault when United lost to Sevilla in the Europa League.
Although remaining at the club may not ensure a spot in the first team, he gained support from Erik ten Hag following the West Ham error and has also made crucial saves this season.
When asked about his goalkeeper's performance this season, Ten Hag has frequently cited De Gea's track record of clean sheets. In the fight for the Premier League Golden Glove, he is in second place with 15 total, two more than Alisson Becker, Nick Pope, and Aaron Ramsdale who are tied for second.
In the January transfer window, Jack Butland was added as insurance, and Tom Heaton is still employed by the team. Dean Henderson, who was on loan to Nottingham Forest and is out recovering from thigh surgery, will be decided upon.
When Manchester United hosts Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon at Old Trafford, they will be trying to get their push for the top-four back on track.
The summer transfer budget for United is anticipated to be spent on a central midfielder and a center forward, who are their top priorities.