Paul Scholes launches tirade against ‘scared’ Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea after RB Leipzig loss

Spaniard conceded three as his side crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday evening

(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has criticised club goalkeeper David de Gea for his performance in the 3-2 defeat by RB Leipzig that saw the Red Devils crash out of the Champions League.

United needed a draw in Germany on Tuesday night to seal their place in the last 16, but they fell 3-0 behind after first-half goals from Man City loanee Angelino and Amadou Haidara and a second-half finish by Justin Kluivert.

Although Bruno Fernandes pulled one back with 10 minutes remaining and an Ibrahima Konate own goal moments later gave the Premier League outfit a chance to salvage a result, United could not find the necessary equaliser.

And Scholes said that De Gea’s goalkeeping for the third Leipzig goal proved costly.

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“David de Gea bottles it here [for the third goal], he is scared of getting himself hurt,” Scholes told BT Sport. 

“It should never go across the box like that. As a goalkeeper, come out and make yourself as big as you can.

“You might get smashed in the face and you might get injured, but [De Gea] turns his back away. 

“He actually makes himself smaller, which is criminal for such an experienced goalkeeper.”

In the other Group H game, Istanbul Basaksehir and hosts Paris Saint-Germain walked off the pitch in the first half after a match official allegedly made a racist remark about a member of the Turkish club’s coaching stuff.