David de Gea targets title challenge for United

Manchester United goalkeeper, David de Gea, has set his sights on a Barclays Premier League title challenge after Sunday’s 3-0 win over Liverpool.

Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Robin van Persie scored as United rubbed salt on Liverpool’s injury but it was the Spanish keeper who turned in an eye-catching performance that gave his team the win.

The victory, United’s sixth in a row, allowed the Red Devil’s to move back to within eight points of leaders Chelsea and five of champions Manchester City, fuelling hopes of a slow-burning title push.

“We have to go step by step, game by game. We want to be in first position but we need to keep training hard and playing like this,” de Gea said.

“I’m really happy with the three points against Liverpool, of course. We played a very good game, we scored three goals and that’s fantastic.

“In the first half I saved two against Sterling and the second half Balotelli. We scored three goals and it is unbelievable.”

Here are his six notable saves that won him the MOTM.

12th minute: Sterling receives the ball in the area and tries to get round the advancing keeper with low shot but the United first-choice throws himself down and saves it.

24th minute: Sterling again. This time he unleashes a hard shot which the keeper tips round for a corner.

51st minute: Sterling’s final try. He takes advantage of a defensive error by Johnny Evans and appears to dribble the ball past the keeper, but when he strikes the ball towards goal, de Gea stops it, this time with his foot.

67th minute: Sterling crosses to Mario Balotelli, whose shot is pushed onto the bar by the keeper.

81st minute: Balotelli found space inside the area, controls the ball but shoots straight to where the keeper is protecting the goal.

85th minute: Balotelli’s third attempt, again with no luck. He goes one-on-one with the United keeper which he dealt with very competently.