David de Gea has risked facing even more of Roy Keane's wrath after Manchester United suffered a 7-0 trouncing at the hands of arch rivals Liverpool.
United endured a record-breaking afternoon on Sunday for all of the wrong reasons, as a humiliating second-half display from Erik ten Hag's side saw them capitulate and concede six goals without reply. The Red Devils had already gone into the half-time break trailing 1-0 before Jurgen Klopp 's men ran riot through Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino.
A porous De Gea shipped seven goals for the first time in his professional career, and despite club legend Keane suggesting that the United players should "go into hiding" after being obliterated, the Spanish goalkeeper boldly made himself the first flop to post on social media little over than four hours after full-time.
"I know these message don't sit well on such a day," De Gea, 32, acknowledged. "This was a disastrous moment for us and these results shouldn't happen, especially with the journey we are all on. We have a duty to this club, a responsibility to represent the badge but we have many opportunities to look ahead, many games coming fast and we have to lock our focus on these."
The long-serving shot-stopper won't have heard Keane's furious comments in the Sky Sports studio, as the ex-United captain took aim at De Gea and his more experienced team-mates. "The senior players at Man United, the big players, the ones we give a big build-up to, the experienced players - they are the ones who let the club down today," Keane declared in a signature post-match rant.
"When it was three or four, you take your medicine, you take your loss. The way they were so open, the manager tried to make substitutions, they threw the towel in. I try and imagine: If I'd ever been beaten in a big game like this, I'd go into hiding as a player. You would. Never mind a few days, a few months!
"It really is that embarrassing for the players. What can you do? That's the game. They have to bounce back and they have a big European game in the middle of the week."
Have your say! Will Man Utd bounce back from the devastating loss? Give us your prediction in the comments section.
With Thursday's Europa League last-16 tie at home to Real Betis fast-approaching before a Premier League clash with struggling Southampton next Sunday, Ten Hag has vowed that his players will indeed bounce back. "I said in the dressing room it's not acceptable, their performance, it's clear," the Dutch boss confessed.
"But it's only one game, though a big defeat, unacceptable, and especially for our fans, especially against Liverpool. We will bounce back. This team is strong enough to go, reset itself, and we will bounce back. I know my players, they are good characters, and they can bounce back and they will do."
