In a crunch semifinal between two powerhouses, the game was precariously was balanced at 1-0. 

The next goal was likely going to tilt the tie in the scorer’s favour and hence, both teams came out of the break aiming to keep their backdoor shut. 

But early into the second half, some loose play in the final third gave the team in blue an opportunity to score and despite a tame shot from the local academy graduate, the ball found its way into the back of the net owing to a disappointing effort from the Spanish goalkeeper. 

That error cost them the tie and was just another one in a long list of lapses in the previous 18 months from a player that had carried the club on his back for years. 

That game we are talking about is the 2014-15 Champions League semifinal second leg between Real Madrid and Juventus, which marked the last time that club legend Iker Casillas played for the Los Blancos in the UEFA Champions League. 

And much like that game and his error on Alvaro Morata’s shot sealed San Iker’s fate, the FA Cup semifinal on Sunday between Chelsea and Manchester United, where a similar story unfolded, could mark the end of David de Gea’s tenure as United’s #1 in goal.

Dean Henderson is the future

Away from the commotion at Old Trafford, United loanee Dean Henderson, who has been plying his trade with Sheffield United for two seasons, is having another tremendous season for the team from South Yorkshire.

The 23-year-old has kept 13 clean sheets, two fewer than league-leader Nick Pope and one more than de Gea. A magnificent shot-stopper, commanding in the air and good with the ball at his feet, Henderson is being sought by clubs in England and abroad, with London giants Chelsea keen to have the English goalkeeper on their books. 

United though, have been insistent that Henderson is not for sale. Speaking about the keeper and his future, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was quoted as saying, "Dean's done really well for them and Sheffield United has been really good for him. He'll come back one day and he'll have a good career at Man United.�?/span>

The loanee himself is keen on making his mark at his boyhood club but is open to leaving the club if the opportunity doesn’t present itself. “I think it’s clear for everyone to know, I want to play for Manchester United and England. Maybe I’ll get the opportunity (to play for Man United), maybe I won’t, then I’ll have to look down a different avenue.�?/span>

Given Henderson’s incredible rise and upside, it’s impossible to see Manchester United parting ways with the Englishman. At just 23, the keeper has a full season’s experience under his belt in the Premier League and has shown that he is up to the task at that level. 

With a slew of suitors and his own desire to play for the club, it would have been incredibly difficult for United to accommodate the keeper into the first XI, but the decision has been made slightly easier by David de Gea’s erratic performance over the past 18 months.

David declining

David de Gea has been United’s best player since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

The Spaniard making jaw-dropping saves was a weekly sight for close to three years and was usually the difference between winning and losing for United.

Low & hard from Mason Mount! #EmiratesFACup #MUNCHE pic.twitter.com/8DZE2TnmWB

�?The Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) July 19, 2020

However, since the start of last season, the Spaniard has seemingly lost his edge. He leads the Premier League in errors leading to goals with seven over the past 24 months and his error against Chelsea on Sunday further illustrates that de Gea, like Casillas in 2015, is on the decline. 

With United finally finding some coherence in their outfield personnel, the last thing the club would want is an issue in the goalkeeping department.

Every goalkeeper is bound to an error once in a while, however, de Gea has been erratic for close to two years and no longer exhumes the same confidence he once did. 

0 - Based on Opta's expected goals on target data (xGoT), David de Gea has conceded the same tally of goals that the model would expect the 'average' GK to concede over the last two PL seasons, compared to preventing 14 goals with his saves in the 2017-18 campaign alone. Regress? pic.twitter.com/eekug6tDr2

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 20, 2020

Manager Ole Gunnar Soslkjaer recently called him ‘the best goalkeeper in the world�? and while that was true not too long ago, the Spaniard can no longer lay a claim to that throne and may in fact not even be the best goalkeeper currently employed by Manchester United.

The club have a decision on their hands and right now, it seems clear. Henderson is six years younger than de Gea, better at commanding the box and while he has an error or so in him, he’s yet to commit a slew of those like the Spaniard.

Manchester United will forever be grateful for his incredible service, but as of today, it seems David de Gea is close to the end of his tenure as United’s #1 between the goalposts. 

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Peter Cziborra, Peter Powell

The much-anticipated return of the Premier League promises to be an action-packed affair, with three particular tantalising blockbuster fixtures: Manchester City vs Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United and Everton vs Liverpool.

For many fans, the return of the Premier League also marks the return of the many fantasy leagues across different platforms that are available to the fans. On this note, let’s have a look at the top five players to pick in your fantasy team for the upcoming gameweek.

Dean Henderson

Team: Sheffield United

Match: Aston Villa vs Sheffield United

Dean Henderson has been a revelation for Sheffield United this season and looks set to compete with David De Gea for the No. 1 spot at Manchester United after spending the last two seasons on loan at the Blades. After helping his current side Sheffield United earn promotion to the Premier League last season, the shot-stopper has been in fine form for the Blades this season as well.

In seven appearances, he has kept 10 clean sheets, while his accurate distribution has helped the club to fifth place on the Premier League table this season, making them surprise European contenders rather than relegation candidates.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Team: Liverpool

Match: Everton vs Liverpool

Liverpool have been one of the standout teams in Europe this season and were on course for beating Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles�?record before Watford ended their run. With just three wins needed to secure their first title during the Premier League era, Liverpool could not find a better time to take on rivals Everton in the Merseyside derby.

With the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Trent Alexander-Arnold all firing for the Reds, expect the team to wrap up the trophy soon. The young fullback has two goals and 14 assists in 28 starts this season, helping Alisson Becker to 11 clean sheets. He has also been involved in the attacking or defensive returns in 19 of his 28 games.

Kevin de Bruyne

Team: Manchester City

Match: Manchester City vs Arsenal

Manchester City take on Arsenal before hosting Burnley in a bid to reduce the deficit between themselves and Liverpool this season. The last time Arsenal played City; their manager Mikel Arteta was still the assistant manager to Pep Guardiola, and Arteta will no doubt be looking to get one over his former boss.

The Citizens might not be in top form this season but Kevin de Bruyne has been their standout player the whole season. He has 18 assists and eight goals in 26 appearances, including two of the three goals scored in the reverse fixture against Arsenal. He has also created 96 chances; more than any other player this season.

Bruno Fernandes

Team: Manchester United

Match: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester United come into this game in fine fettle, having won their last fixture before the forced break, against Manchester City. Key to the resurgence of the club has been their January signing Bruno Fernandes, who has scored twice and provided three assists in his five appearances since joining the club.

Playing behind a fit Anthony Martial will be key for the Portuguese international, while his set-piece prowess will also prove crucial to the remainder of the season, with six of United’s nine remaining opponents at the bottom half of the table.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Team: Arsenal

Match: Manchester City vs Arsenal

The first of two crucial fixtures this gameweek sees Arsenal take on Manchester City at the Etihad, a fixture the Gunners are yet to win in for the last few seasons. Although Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is yet to score or assist against the Citizens, his poaching prowess cannot be discounted, having scored 17 goals in 26 appearances, just two behind Golden Boot leader Jamie Vardy.

Aubameyang has always been instrumental to Arsenal’s game but has improved his performances under Mikel Arteta, having scored six times in eight matches under the Spaniard -- four more than any teammate. Post the resumption of the league, the performance of Aubameyang and his team will be in decisive in the future of the Gabonese striker.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis

The 2019/20 season of the Premier League has been full of surprises. Starting right from Liverpool's stellar run to West Ham's poor performance, the season has overturned many predictions that were being made before it started. 

Not just only teams, but some popular players have gone through a rough patch of form as well. However, like Liverpool, there have been players who have surprised everyone with their performance and thus their stocks have only gone on to rise this season. Let's have a look at three of those players.

Read | Premier League 2019/20: Three players who exceeded expectations

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)

There were a lot of questions about his quality as a striker in the Premier League until last season. However, Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been a revelation this time around, having scored a personal best of 13 goals in 22 games for Everton. That includes goals against top teams like Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal. Such has been his form this season that he has even overshadowed Everton's star forward Richarlison, who has netted 10 goals so far.

Read | Top five active free-kick takers in football

Calvert-Lewin had almost played almost the same number of minutes in the last two seasons, but had scored fewer goals. He had scored four goals along with eight assists in a total of 1871 minutes in the 2017/18 season and followed that up with six goals and five assists in 1769 minutes in the 2018/19 season. So it's clear how his finishing abilities have improved this season and that is the reason why the 23-year-old has become Carlo Ancelotti's frontman for the club.

Dean Henderson (Sheffield United)

Almost all clubs who progress into the top flight from the Championship like to bolster their squad with an experienced shot-stopper. However, Sheffield United retained their faith in England's U-21 goalkeeper Dean Henderson who had been terrific during their 2018/19 season in the Championship. Playing in the Premier League was expected to be a stern test for Henderson but he showed that he is as good as any other shot-stopper in the competition. 

Read | Premier League team of the season so far

The 23-year-old has 10 clean sheets to his name this season, the second-most in the entire league, and has made 70 saves with a save percentage of 75% as well. He has played a key role to help Sheffield being the second most successful team in terms of goals conceded (25) this season. Hence, Henderson definitely has bigger and better things coming for him in the future.

Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)

It was due to Jack Grealish's sublime form towards the business end of the 2018/19 EFL Championship that Aston Villa could make their way into the Premier League. However, there was always a question mark over how he would be able to cope with the standards of the Premier League. But the 25-year-old cleared out all doubts as he emerged as one of the most prolific playmakers in the league during the season.

Read | Premier League team of the season �?Excluding top six clubs

Even though Aston Villa struggled as a unit (they stood at 19th in the table when coronavirus pandemic brought the sporting world to a standstill), Grealish was highly impressive as he scored seven goals and assisted six times for the club. Such performances have made Manchester United highly interested in acquiring his services. Hence, we might see the Villa skipper donning the United jersey next season.

Feature Image: AFP / Paul Ellis

It has been quite a remarkable season of Premier League football. Liverpool have blown away everyone in their path to establish a near-unassailable lead at the top. Sheffield United have been the surprise package, pushing for a European spot finish on their first season back in the Premier League.

The top-six places are far from being decided yet with a host of clubs in contention, while the same goes for the relegation battle as well.

There have been a number of stellar individual performances along the way, with stars setting the stage alight week after week until the campaign was suspended due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Read | Premier League team of the season �?Excluding top six clubs

With the pause button being pressed, let’s take a look back at the campaign and see who makes it to our Team of the Season so far;

Dean Henderson (Sheffield United) 

While Liverpool’s Alisson Becker has had another standout campaign and Burnley’s Nick Pope has also impressed heavily, it is Dean Henderson that gets the nod in our Team of the Season, owing to his sheer brilliance that has helped Sheffield United mount a surprise European qualification push.

The on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper has kept ten clean sheets so far, helping the Blades to the second-best defensive record in the league. In what has been a fairytale season for him, Henderson has displayed great shot-stopping ability and positional awareness and is deserving of this spot.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) 

One of the easiest selections in this side, Trent Alexander-Arnold has continued to redefine the role of a right-back with masterful attacking displays, acting as Liverpool’s chief attacking outlet from the wing. The England international has the second-highest number of assists this season (12) and is second in the list for most chances created this term as well (75).

Read | Five contenders for PFA Young Player of the Year award

Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Last season’s PFA Player of the Year, Virgil van Dijk may not have been able to reach the heights of the 2018-19 campaign, but continues to set the standards for centre-backs in the Premier League. 

A leader on the field, the Netherlands international has marshalled his backline excellently, acting as the cornerstone on which Liverpool’s campaign has been built upon. He has also chipped in with vital goals at the other end, making him an obvious pick in the Team of the Season so far.

Caglar Soyuncu (Leicester City) 

Liverpool’s Joe Gomez has shone again, while Sheffield United’s centre-back trio of Chris Basham, John Egan and Jack O’Connell has also stood out. But it is Caglar Soyuncu of Leicester City who gets picked owing to the sheer impact that he has made for the Foxes this season.

Losing Harry Maguire in the summer was going to be quite a blow for Leicester, but Soyuncu has fitted in so seamlessly that Brendan Rodgers�?side have hardly felt the England international’s absence. The Turkish international has been an ever-present figure in the Foxes�?backline, helping them to the third place in the League table as well as the third-best defensive record in the competition.

Read | Five centre-backs Manchester City should target in summer

Andrew Robertson (Liverpool) 

Ben Chilwell was a contender for this spot given how well he has performed for Leicester, while Everton’s Lucas Digne was also considered. However, it is Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson who gets the nod owing to his impact on both ends of the field. 

One of the most solid full-backs defensively, the Scotsman has been a huge threat going forward as well and has contributed with a goal and seven assists for Liverpool’s title-winning cause. Robertson is an indispensable member of Jurgen Klopp’s side and it is not hard to see why.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Last season’s joint Golden Boot winner has been at it once again, spearheading Liverpool’s title challenge from the front. Salah has had ups and downs over the course of the campaign, but has still made a huge difference for Klopp’s brigade.

The Egyptian forward has bagged a total of 16 goals from 26 appearances this term �?joint third-best in the league, while also setting up six more for his teammates. With nine matches still left to be played, it wouldn’t be surprising if he went on to bag the Golden Boot once again.

Read | Five players who could move to the Premier League this summer

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) 

The best midfielder in the Premier League without a doubt. Manchester City may have stuttered in the defence of their Premier League title but Kevin De Bruyne has not missed a step over the course of the campaign, delivering the goods for Pep Guardiola’s side week in week out. 

The Belgian international tops the charts for most assists (16) and is set to beat Thierry Henry’s record for most assists in a single campaign (20). He is also the leading chance-creator in the Premier League this term with 96 �?21 more than the next closest competitor.

Jordan Henderson (Liverpool) 

If the season resumes and Liverpool go on to win the title, a lot of the credit has to be given to captain Jordan Henderson. The midfielder has been a pivotal member of the team, performing in any role that has been asked of him and doing so consistently.

Henderson has scored three goals and set up five more himself, but his influence goes far beyond that. Hence, it was not surprising to see Liverpool go through a bad patch when their skipper was out injured last month. An obvious pick and a top contender for the PFA Player of the Year award for 2019-20.

Read | Rating Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s signings at Manchester United

Sadio Mane (Liverpool) 

Goals, assists, work-rate off the ball, speed, creativity �?the Senegalese international is a complete package. And more often than not, Mane has been the difference-maker for Liverpool this season with his pace and dynamism in the final third of the pitch.

The 27-year-old has netted 14 goals so far this season in 26 Premier League games, while also setting up nine more. Mane has scored six winning goals in the league this term �?with only teammate Mo Salah scoring more (7).

Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) 

His form may have dwindled since the turn of the year, but there is no denying the impact that Jamie Vardy has had on Leicester City’s season. The former England international has been the chief driving force behind the Foxes�?excellent campaign as they sit third in the league table.

Despite scoring just twice since January, Vardy leads the goalscoring charts for the season with 19 goals. The 33-year-old also has four assists to his name.

Read | Five contenders for PFA Player of the Year award

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)

Where would Arsenal be without their talismanic striker? Time and again, Aubameyang has come to the Gunners�?rescue when they found themselves in difficult positions, proving his worth to the side. Named the club captain midway through the season, the Gabonese international has scored 17 goals so far, with only Vardy outscoring him this season.

There may have been questions over his future at Arsenal, but there is no questioning his attitude and commitment and the way he has led the team from the front.

The 2019-20 Premier League campaign remains suspended till next month as the world continues to battle the Coronavirus pandemic. 

With no footballing action going on at present, it’s a good time to look back at the season so far. 

While Liverpool have run away with the title, the battle for the European qualification spots has been extremely interesting with the likes of Sheffield United and Wolves mixing it up with the traditional powerhouses like Manchester United and Chelsea. The bottom half of the table is also tight, with a number of clubs battling it out to survive relegation.

There have been a number of outstanding performers over the course of the season and here we take a look at the Premier League team of the season so far, excluding the top six sides;

Dean Henderson (Sheffield United) �?GK

The young Englishman has been one of the biggest success stories of the season. On loan at Sheffield United from Manchester United, Henderson has emerged as one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the division.

Read | Five contenders for PFA Young Player of the Year award

Having not missed a single league game for the Blades, Henderson has secured 10 clean sheets in total �?second-highest in the competition, helping them to the second-best defensive record. Knocking on the doors of the England national team, the Manchester United academy man gets the nod in our lineup.

Max Aarons (Norwich City) - RB

Another promising young English talent that has taken to the Premier League football like a duck to water, Max Aarons has been one of the few positives in a campaign headed for relegation for Norwich City.

The 20-year-old right-back has featured in 27 league matches for Daniel Farke’s side, contributing with two assists in the process. Full of bristling potential, Aarons has impressed with his all-round game and has, in turn, emerged as a transfer target for some of the biggest clubs in England.

Chris Basham (Sheffield United) - CB

A rock at the back for Sheffield United, Basham has played an integral role in the Blades�?surprise push for a top-six finish in their first season back from the Championship. 

The 31-year-old Englishman hasn’t missed a single league game for Chris Wilder’s side this season and alongside John Egan and Jack O’Connell, he has been a part of one of the best defensive units in the English top-flight that has conceded just 25 goals so far.

Read | Five contenders for PFA Player of the Year award

Gary Cahill (Crystal Palace) - CB

Having been allowed to leave Chelsea on a free transfer last summer, Gary Cahill has continued to prove his worth and value at his new club, Crystal Palace. The 34-year-old did miss a few games with injury during the festive period but has been solid and reliable almost every time he has played.

Only five teams have conceded fewer goals than Palace have this season (32), with four of those teams in the top five. And Cahill has played a key role in the Eagles�?defensive resolve this term, with Roy Hodgson’s side keeping six clean sheets in the 20 matches he has started, including the last three in a row.

Lucas Digne (Everton) - LB

Everton have had a mixed bag of a season this time out, but one Toffees�?star who can be proud of his performances is Lucas Digne. The Frenchman has overtaken seasoned veteran Leighton Baines as the first-choice left-back at Goodison Park and has been one of Everton’s top performers this season.

So far in 2019-20, Digne has featured in 26 Premier League matches, coming up with a return of five assists. The 26-year-old’s pace coupled with his precise delivery into the box make him a huge asset. Digne has created 58 goalscoring chances this term �?seventh-best tally in the division.

Read | Five players who could move to the Premier League this summer

Richarlison (Everton) - RW

Another Everton player that has hugely impressed this season, albeit playing as a centre-forward in most matches, Richarlison has continued to impress on English shores. 

The 22-year-old, in his second season with the Toffees, has found the back of the net on 10 occasions and has also set up three more in 27 league outings, playing a crucial role in their revival under new boss Carlo Ancelotti in the second half of the season.

James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) - CM

From facing the prospect of relegation, Southampton now find themselves seven points above the drop zone and James Ward-Prowse has had a big hand in the Saints�?revival. A mainstay in the middle of the park for Southampton, the 25-year-old hasn’t missed a single league game for Ralph Hassenhuttl’s side, contributing with four goals and three assists. 

But his value goes far beyond the goal-involvement. His versatility has helped Hassenhuttl use him at right-back on various occasions when the squad had been hit with injuries. In addition, the 25-year-old has displayed the requisite bite in midfield, chipping in with 72 tackles �?fourth-best among midfielders in the league.

John Fleck (Sheffield United) - CM

Another Sheffield United player in the team, 28-year-old John Fleck has been another top performer for Chris Wilder’s high-fliers this season. The Scotsman, in his first-ever Premier League campaign, has come up with a return of five goals and two assists in 25 matches �?which is rather impressive for a midfielder.

On the back of these performances, Fleck broke into the Scotland national team while he has also been linked with a summer switch to Arsenal as well, highlighting the kind of impact he has made this season for Sheffield United.

Read | Why do defensive midfielders make great managers?

Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) - LW

Aston Villa might be headed for relegation, but captain Jack Grealish’s reputation has continued to soar after a season on his return to the Premier League. The 24-year-old has, hands down, been Villa’s best player this season, scoring seven goals and setting up six more in 26 league outings.

Grealish has created 69 goal-scoring chances this term �?the fifth-best tally in the league. A big move to Manchester United has been mooted this summer and based on his performances so far, it would be completely deserved. 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) - ST

A no-brainer this one. The last season’s joint Golden Boot winner has continued on his merry ways this time out too, bailing Arsenal out of trouble on a number of occasions. Aubameyang, appointed the Gunners�?captain this season, has scored 17 goals in 26 league matches and is behind only Jamie Vardy in the goalscoring charts. 

The 30-year-old has been linked with a transfer away from Arsenal this summer and he will be hoping to end his stint with the club on a high.

Danny Ings (ST)

After a torrid spell at Liverpool, the Englishman has enjoyed a resurgence in the past couple of seasons with Southampton. Having moved to the St. Mary’s on a permanent transfer last summer, Ings has justified why the Saints�?took a punt on him with a bagful of goals.

Ings, so far this term, has found the back of the net on 15 occasions in 29 matches and has one assist to his name as well. The 27-year-old has been the chief source of goals for Ralph Hassenhuttl’s side, helping them pull away from the relegation battle.