Is Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea the world’s best or just top dog in the EPL?

MANCHESTER United are sitting pretty in third on the EPL table thanks in no small part to David De Gea. Is the Spaniard now the best goalkeeper in the world?

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: David De Gea of Manchester United celebrates the third goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford on December 14, 2014 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

DEFENSIVE reinforcements are being targeted from all over Europe to reinforce the Manchester United backline in January - but are they really needed when they’ve got David De Gea in career-defining form?

At the rate of his man-of-the-match performances this season, manager Louis Van Gaal will only have to dip into the January transfer market for some attacking indulgences.

Say an Arturo Vidal or Kevin Strootman in midfield. Maybe even a striker like highly-rated Palermo youngster Paulo Dybala. The 21-year-old Dybala has emerged as one of the hottest properties in European football after an explosive start to the season in Serie A.

David De Gea has been in scintillating form for Manchester United.

United - on the back of six successive wins - are sitting pretty in third on the Premier League table thanks in no small part to their 24-year-old goalkeeper.

De Gea was dynamic in the 3-0 win over Liverpool last weekend and that followed similar quality performances in recent games against Southampton, Stoke City and Arsenal. Clean sheets may have been few and far between but the Spaniard has massively limited the damage.

Pundit Gary Neville called him one of the best goalkeepers in the EPL. Teammate Wayne Rooney took it one step further, saying he is the best in the world. Better than Manuel Neuer - who has been shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or. Better than Gianluigi Buffon. Better than Hugo Lloris. Even better than rising Barcelona youngster Marc-André ter Stegen.

“In my eyes, he is the best keeper in the world. The performances he has shown for us have been fantastic,” said Rooney.

“He is not as tall as some other keepers but his spring and reach is really long. Sometimes in training you hit a shot and turn away thinking it has gone in and he just manages to get there. I am delighted for him.”

Juan Mata took it one step further after the Liverpool game. “I touched him just to make sure he was human and not Superman.”

He is the goalkeeper with the highest percentage of saves from inside the area - with 72 per cent. Brad Guzan is second and Ben Foster third.

He also has the third highest save percentage behind Sunderland’s Costel Pantilimon.

He’s now even being considered a chance of the prestigious PFA player of the year award. It would be the first time a goalkeeper has won since Everton’s Neville Southall back in 1984/1985.

But is David De Gea - who is the subject of interest from Real Madrid - now the best goalkeeper in the world, or the top dog in the Premier League? Or does he have a ways to go before he is tops either list?

Originally published as Is Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea the world’s best or just top dog in the EPL?