Paul Scholes slammed Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea's decision-making after he was guilty of committing three costly errors in Thursday night's 3-0 Europa League quarter-final second-leg defeat to Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
United, who blew a two-goal lead in the first-leg at Old Trafford last week, were second best throughout the evening in Spain, bowing out of the Europa League 5-2 on aggregate. For Sevilla's early opener, De Gea played a short pass to Harry Maguire, who was under pressure from two Sevilla attackers, and he immediately gave the ball away, giving Youssef En-Nesyri a golden opportunity to put the home side in front.
De Gea was then caught out for Sevilla's second, seeing an effort come off Loic Bade's shoulder at a corner, loop over him and into the back of the net via the crossbar. He then made a hash of the home side's third goal, slipping when he attempted to control a long punt up field.
READ MORE: United player ratings vs Sevilla as Reds exit Europe
En-Nesyri capitalised to claim his second goal of the game, bending the ball into an empty net. But it was his first mistake of the evening that saw Scholes question his thinking, with his decision to pass the ball to Maguire, although the latter was asking for it, gift-wrapping Sevilla their opening goal.
Scholes told BT Sport: "You have to question the goalkeeper, especially tonight. Erik ten Hag, eventually, will want to play out from the back.
"David de Gea has been a fantastic goalkeeper, but he is not a fantastic footballer. We saw the pass he played into Harry Maguire. Look, it's not a bad pass and I know that Harry Maguire wanted it, but you have to read the situation, read what's going on in the stadium and it is not a place [to do it].
"Harry Maguire wants the ball and I don't know why he wants the ball. As I said before, there is only one centre-half in world football who is good receiving the ball with his back to play."
There is a general feeling that Ten Hag, eventually, will want to recruit a new goalkeeper and embed a style that sees United play the ball out from the back with confidence. Should that become the case, questions will be asked of De Gea's suitability.
"Regardless of whether the manager wants him to play, read the situation," added Scholes. "He needed to read what was going on.
"You have to read the situation and what's happening. At Manchester City, Pep [Guardiola] would probably say 'Go on, hit it up high'.
"They fell into the trap of playing those passes and Sevilla were aggressive in getting to the ball."
READ NEXT:
