De Gea makes Premier League history

David de Gea became the first non-British player to make 400 Premier League appearances for one club after keeping a clean sheet in Manchester United’s 0-2 win at Leeds United on Sunday. The Spanish goalkeeper joined United in a five-year, £19 million deal from Atlético Madrid in June 2011. He helped United win the Premier League in his second season and has since added both domestic cups -the FA Cup and EFL Carabao Cup to his list of honours.

His landmark appearance at Elland Road also makes him the first goalkeeper in Premier League history to make 400 appearances for the same club. Leeds couldn’t find a way past De Gea as late goals from Marcus Rashford and substitute Alejandro Garnacho made sure United travel home with all three points. After the game, De Gea preferred to praise his team mates rather than receive it himself for his own achievements. “It was everything, from the beginning of the game, we knew we’d come to a very difficult pitch, but we fought until the end,” he told MUTV. “We knew the first 10 minutes of both halves were massive, so keep a clean sheet, big for us, and then we score two goals. It’s a special game and a special win. We knew the first goal was important and it was a perfect cross from Luke Shaw. He is playing very well and then Rashy, who is on fire, is scoring lots of goals, helping the team, running, pressing and I think he’s playing at the top level, so a massive goal for us and then we controlled the game”.

The 32-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season, though United have an option to trigger a one-year extension, and there have been talks regarding an agreement for a longer renewal.

Today’s win keeps Ten Hag’s men third in the table on 46 points, five behind leaders Arsenal, who have two games in hand. Next up for United is Thursday’s trip to Barcelona in the Europa League before Leicester visit Old Trafford in the Premier League three days later.