Having just renewed his allegiance with Manchester United with a four year contract, David De Gea was back between the sticks for the first time against Liverpool this weekend.
The Spaniard announced his return with a few crucially executed saves on the way to a 3-1 win for the Devils to bring them back to second on the table.
Former Manchester United player Gary Neville later declared De Gea a 'match winning' net minder and believes he could be key to United's chances of winning the Premier League.
Speaking in the Gary Neville podcast he said,
'It's a big thing for Manchester United to have him stay for the rest of this season. If Manchester United had Sergio Romero in the net today - it's no disrespect to him - maybe one or two of those moments Liverpool had wouldn't have been saved.'
It was De Gea's reflexes in keeping out Jordan Ibe's shot towards the end of the game, which cemented Neville's theory on United's prodigal son goalie. Ultimately, Neville predicts that De Gea could save United up to 15 points this season if he maintains his form.
'He made a really good save at the end from Jordon Ibe, so I think when you look at it and think about De Gea [against Liverpool], he will save Manchester United points'
The Sky Sports analyst even went so far as to compare De Gea with legendary United goalkeepers from the golden years.
'When they had Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar, it's looked rock solid. De Gea in the last couple of years has been fantastic.'
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