When the decision was made to keep Dean Henderson at Manchester United, as opposed to sending him out on loan for the fifth successive season, there was always going to be a brewing moment at some point – a moment where the shifting of powers between David De Gea and himself would begin to take groundwork.
Eleven games into the season, and that feeling has already to start to slowly manufacture. Henderson has started four games (featured in five), and looked impressive – he has kept two clean sheets in the EFL Cup and made the headlines through dramatic late saves in both games.
He hasn’t put a foot wrong in the Champions League or Premier League either, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made it clear that De Gea is the number one option. This hasn’t taken anyone by surprise though, on paper, this campaign was to be the one where the Englishman would be moulded into the squad and eased into life at Old Trafford.
Recently though, as per the MEN, the 23-year-old has spoken with his manager about his desire for more first-team minutes. Henderson’s long-term priority is to be United’s number one goalkeeper, but with the Euros next summer and the January transfer window looming, it appears he has got a little edgy on the sidelines. For context, the youngster made 36 starts in the league for Sheffield United last season.
Solskjaer has recently addressed the situation, speaking to the Scandinavian Supporters’ Club (via MEN). He said: “Dean has been a Man United player since he was 14 years old and many were caught by surprise when we decided not to send him on loan. It was always his dream to become Man United’s keeper and we felt it was the right time for him to return. I think he’s learning a lot about what it takes.
“It’s about competition but it’s not about me pleasing everyone. It’s a common misunderstanding that the coach needs to keep everyone happy. It’s the other way around. It’s more important that they keep me happy. I’m serious about this. It’s all about the players.”
The Norwegian knows all about making sacrifices for the club – during his 11 years in Manchester as a player, the forward took on a reputation in being a ‘super sub’.
“You’re not supposed to be happy when you’re not playing but to be a Man United player comes with a price. You need loyalty and to be professional. You need to cope when we’re not doing so well and you need to stay grounded when we succeed,” he continued.
Solskjaer also put emphasis on the number of competitions that the club has tackle in a campaign, with Europa League Thursdays now to come. Henderson is likely to be the man on such nights, giving him more opportunities to build his experience and stake his claim in being United’s number one.
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