Harry Maguire says it's a 'pleasure' to play in front of David de Gea
‘It’s a pleasure to play in front of him’: Man United captain Harry Maguire hails ‘legend’ David de Gea after the goalkeeper made his 400th Premier League appearance against Leeds
- David de Gea kept a clean sheet against Leeds in 400th Premier League game
- His captain Harry Maguire was full of praise for the Spanish goalkeeper after win
- Only club legends Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes have more PL caps for United
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire says it is a ‘pleasure’ to play in front of David de Gea after the goalkeeper made his 400th Premier League appearance on the weekend.
The Man United pair helped keep Leeds at bay as Erik ten Hag’s side continued their fine form with a 2-0 win against their bitter rivals on Sunday afternoon.
It was a special day for De Gea, who kept a clean sheet and racked up another massive milestone in his career.
Only Ryan Giggs (632) and Paul Scholes (499) have now made more Premier League appearances for Man United than De Gea now.
And speaking to Sky Sports after United’s victory, Maguire paid tribute to the stalwart of United’s defensive unit.
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire says it is a ‘pleasure’ to play in front of David de Gea
The Man United goalkeeper kept a clean sheet against Leeds on Sunday on his 400th Premier League appearance
‘To play 400 games as No 1 for this club in probably the most scrutinised position in world football, that just shows how good he’s been over the years for the club,’ he said.
‘He’s an absolute legend for the club and is performing at the highest level. He’s world class and he’s proven that again this season and he’ll keep doing that. It’s a pleasure to play in front of him.’
De Gea is now the youngest goalkeeper to make 400 Premier League appearances, while he also equalled Peter Schmeichel’s record of 178 clean sheets across all competitions.
He is no doubt a Man United legend, with all 400 appearances coming for the same club since his £19m move from Atletico Madrid in 2011.
The 45-cap international is also the first non-British or Irish player to reach 400 Premier League appearances for one club.
Only Ryan Giggs (632) and Paul Scholes (499) have now made more Premier League appearances for United than De Gea
While De Gea continues to perform at the top level, it is not yet clear whether he will be at United next season as his contract expires in the summer and he is yet to sign a new deal.
It was also a crucial day for Maguire, who was handed just his fifth Premier League start of the season by Ten Hag as he attempts to battle Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof for a regular spot.
The United captain remains positive despite his obvious lack of game-time. He added: ‘I’m the captain of the team and I put the team miles before myself. Whether I’m playing or not I want the team to be successful.
‘I’m still playing my part, still coming on in games, still getting my minutes but every footballer wants to start games.’
But similarly to De Gea, there may not be a place for Maguire at Old Trafford next season, with United fearing they may have to accept half of the £80m it cost to sign him from Leicester in the summer of 2019.
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