Manchester United has always been home to great goalkeepers. Today, we look at the top 5 goalkeepers to have worn the Red Devils’ shirt.
1.Harry Greg:
Harry Gregg, OBE (born 27 October 1932) is a former Northern Ireland international with 247 appearances for Manchester United. Playing under the Great Sir Matt Busby, he was one of the survivors of the Munich Disaster and has 48 clean sheets to his name. He spent nine years at Old Trafford, before moving to Stoke in 1966. Rated by many as one of the best goalkeepers United ever had, his frustration, however, lies in the fact that in spite of being the keeper during the club’s one of the most successful spells, he never won a medal- due to injuries, and later when such a chance arrived, he was already sold to Stoke.
2. Alex Stepney:
Alexander Cyril Stepney (born 18 September 1942) is a former Manchester United and England goalkeeper, who kept to the posts when Manchester United became the first English club to rule Europe (European Champions Cup). He was bought by Sir Matt Busby from Chelsea for a record fee of £55,000 in 1966. Making his debut in a Manchester derby, and winning it 1-0, Stepney went on to make a whopping 535 appearances for the red devils, with 175 clean sheets, second highest for any Manchester United goalkeeper. During his stay, he won the League title in 1967, and the European Cup in 1968.
3.David De Gea:
The 20-year old goalkeeping prodigy joined Manchester United in 2011, for a British record transfer fee of approximately £18.9 million. He was looked upon as the perfect replacement for Van der Sar. Initially struggling with off the ball movement, the Spaniard has matured proficiently at the Theatre of Dreams, winning the League title in 2013 and the Europa League in 2017. With his remarkable acrobatics and movement, he has become the most reliable face of Manchester United today to ensure wins with a relatively weaker defense. Only the 3rd goalkeeper with more than 100 clean sheets for Manchester United in the Premier League Era, in just 264 appearances is a statement in itself about the 28-year old Spain international.
4. Edwin Van Der Sar:
Sir Alex Fergusson has always considered the Dutchman the best goalkeeper he has worked with since Schmeichel. Edwin Van Der Sar, an Ajax starlet decided to end up in Manchester United (after a small spell in Fulham), when he lost his first team place to Buffon at Juventus in 2001. He has been the most significant goalkeeper for United in the “post treble era”. Known famously for the penalty shootout against Chelsea in the Champions League Final, Van Der.
5. Peter Schmeichel:
Considered by many as the best goalkeeper Manchester United ever had, Peter Schmeichel was also known as the “Great Dane” due to his Danish descent. The only Goalkeeper to win it all in the club’s history- “The Treble”, meaning the League Title, the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League. He was brought into Manchester United by Sir Alex Fergusson for an amount of £505,000, a deal described by the gaffer as “bargain of the century”. The Danish international stayed at Old Trafford for 8 years, winning almost everything. Peter Schmeichel still remains the goalkeeper with the highest no. of clean sheets for the club with 180 clean sheets in 398 appearances.
