De Gea: I'm In Great Shape

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea spoke to the official club magazine, Inside United, last month about the season so far, his impression of the youngsters who have come into the squad and his form. Here's an extract from the exclusive Q&A with the Spanish shot-stopper...

What do you think of the way the title race has developed over the first few months of the campaign?
I think that the Premier League is very competitive and there are a lot of strong teams, fighting hard to climb the table and fighting to win the league. It’s a real battle, this league is very tough to win and there will be a number of teams who will be in the shake-up for the title, like every year, and let’s just hope that we are right up there and in the hunt for that title at the end of the season as that would be very important.

What's the spirit like among the team in the dressing room and on the training ground?
There’s a great atmosphere. The dressing room is very together and united, they are a great set of lads and we’re all very happy with the group of players that we have and I think that’s really important in a team if it wants to achieve big things.

Is is it a good sign for the future that players like Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira have been given a chance and players like Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Guillermo Varela have made their debuts?
Yes, I think we have a very young side and I think that the youngsters who are coming up through the youth ranks are fitting in really well. They are all good players and after all they represent the future of Manchester United and I reckon that gradually they will become the side of the future and we’re all delighted that they’re with us.

When United have the ball and are keeping possession, is your role almost to become a fifth defender, being available to receive and make passes?
We always try and keep a high defensive line and so the keeper needs to be just behind, alert and waiting for any ball in behind the defence to try and intercept it.

And to be ready to join in the play and receive the ball when needed...
Yes that’s right. You always need to be available to provide an option to your defence and team-mates to be able to play the ball out.

Looking ahead to what is to come, December is always a busy time with lots of points to be won and lost. How confident are you United can arrive at the New Year in a good position to challenge?
Yes, we know that the month of December is always a tough one with a lot of fixtures, and the tiredness can build up, so we need to come out of it at the end with a few good results. We’re working on it right now. We’re training hard and we’re preparing well so we can go into those games at our highest level of fitness in order to get through December well-placed near the top of the league.

If so, can we then challenge for the title in the second half of the season?
Yes, that’s what we all want, to stay up near the top, and to get to April and be in a position where we can win the league, that’s what we’re going to try to make happen.

There's also the FA Cup - do you feel silverware is a real possibility this season?
Well of course that’s what we all want to do, win trophies… that’s fine, but we have to wait and see what happens and if there are any injuries and if things go well for us. Let’s hope we can win something.

On a personal level, you've recently turned 25, you have six seasons of first-team football behind you and you're an international of course. How close do you feel you are to your peak at this moment in time?
I feel really good right now. I’m probably in the best physical shape of my career. Let’s hope that there is still a lot ahead of me to achieve and that I can continue to improve in order to reach my highest possible level of performance.

The latest issue of Inside United, featuring the full interview with David, is out now. Order it online at www.manutd.com/magazine.

Credit: manutd.com