GARTH CROOKS’ team of the week has been slammed as “just mad” by stunned fans after he bizarrely included David de Gea.
The goalkeeper was hardly troubled as Manchester United defeated Nottingham Forest 2-0 on Sunday.
The Spaniard did not have a single save to make throughout the contest, while his opposite number Keylor Navas produced six brilliant stops.
However, former Tottenham and England forward Crooks – who has a reputation for his sometimes bizarre selections – still picked De Gea as his goalie in his latest BBC Team of the Week.
And that choice left football fans completely bamboozled.
One tweeted: “Garth Crooks picked De Gea in his team of the week. Forest didn’t have a shot on target… How does he get paid for this?”
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Another wrote on Twitter: “Garth Crooks definitely went full Garth Crooks this week.”
A fellow fan said: “Navas made some great saves during the game. De Gea faced a grand total of 0 shots on target.”
The fun continued as a fellow supporter commented: “Garth Crooks’ team of the week is a frequency source of ridicule. But to include De Gea who made no saves over even Navas who made 6 (let alone any other keeper) is just mad.”
While another added: “Garth Crooks’ goalkeeper in his Team of the Week? David de Gea after he had *checks notes* 0 (ZERO) shots to save against Nottingham Forest yesterday.”
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Crooks did explain why he opted for De Gea in his column, saying: “The most difficult period for a goalkeeper is when he has nothing to do and then is called upon at a moment’s notice.
“If there is one goalkeeper capable of winning a match having spent a considerable amount of time out of the action it is David de Gea.
“His performance against a stubborn Nottingham Forest wasn’t anything special but thoroughly dependable.”
He then even called for him to be made United’s club captain, adding: “De Gea has come a long way since the days he was talking about returning to his native Spain.
“The former international should now be the Manchester United club captain – he’s earned it.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk