Paul Scholes has claimed that Dean Henderson is Manchester United’s number-one goalkeeper, but insists he still needs to do more to prove himself to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Henderson has started the last four Premier League games for the Red Devils, while David de Gea has returned to the starting lineup for their Europa League tie with Granada.
Scholes believes the decision to play Henderson in the Premier League makes him number one, but he refuses to ‘write off’ De Gea.
He told BT Sport: ‘It’s always awkward when you try and keep two goalkeepers happy.
‘Who is the number one here? Ole is saying both which is clearly wrong. With David de Gea’s wife having a baby, it gave Ole the chance to make Henderson number one.
‘I think number one plays in Premier League but has Henderson totally convinced Ole?
‘I think he has a big chance but I don’t think he has these five or six games he’s played.
‘What David de Gea did for 4/5 years, United could have been a mid-table team without him. I wouldn’t completely write him off.’
Owen Hargreaves who was also doing punditry for United’s first leg against Granada, said it would be difficult for Ole to take out De Gea permanently.
He said: ‘Ole’s done a good job bringing Dean back in and see if he can be number one.
‘I think he hasn’t, I don’t think he’s shown he can’t be, but the problem is David de Gea is still there and with the wages he’s on and the success he’s had it will be difficult to make that big call.
‘If it goes well maybe he keeps it, but it will be difficult to walk away from De Gea with everything he’s done for the club. It’s an opportunity for Dean and so far he’s taken it.’
Manchester United are heavy favourites to advance to the next round of the Europa League and are heavily fancied even to win the competition.
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