It is, to use an over-used football cliche, a nice problem for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to have…
Dean Henderson produced another steady performance for Manchester United on Wednesday night, strengthening the case for him to eventually replace David De Gea as the club’s first choice goalkeeper.
Another game at Brighton – significantly less eventful than the league encounter at the weekend – saw United progress to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with a 3-0 win.
But for a particularly notable intervention from Henderson, however, it might have turned out differently.
Midway through the second half, with United leading through Scott McTominay’s first-half header, Brighton looked set to equalise as the ball was squared for Leandro Trossard, who had found a pocket of space inside the penalty area. Thwarted by the post three times in the league encounter days earlier, the Belgian was this time denied by a smart reflect save from Henderson, who was able to turn the shot around the post for a corner.
Big save from Dean Henderson 👏
📺 Watch live on Sky Sports Football pic.twitter.com/T6fmcffWTd
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 30, 2020
United’s lead preserved, they were soon able to double it as Juan Mata coolly slotted home United’s second. To be absolutely sure of their progress to the last eight, Paul Pogba added a third late on with a deflected free-kick.
Henderson, though, was again one of the major talking points. Only a week ago, the 23-year-old had marked his senior United debut with a similarly smart save in the previous round of the Carabao Cup at Luton Town. De Gea may be United’s first choice for now, but the feeling that the Spaniard may be replaced by Henderson on a more regular basis continues to grow.
