Can Lindegaard turn out to be United's No 1?
-
Make me No 1: Lindegaard tells Fergie he's ready to take on De Gea for top billing at United
I'm No 1: Anders Lindegaard has given Sir Alex Ferguson a selection headache
Keep sake: Lindegaard impressed against Benfica in the Champions League
If Anders Lindegaard thought his appearance in goal for Manchester United in Lisbon on Tuesday was effectively an audition for a part on the big stage against Chelsea this weekend then he was wrong.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson would not have picked the Dane for Sunday's clash at Old Trafford even if he had saved a penalty, scored a hat-trick and given the half-time team talk in the Stadium of Light.
For now at least, the Spaniard David de Gea remains United's No 1 and - given that the 20-year-old appears to lack a little self- assurance - it is easy to understand Ferguson's reasoning.
Now that we have seen Lindegaard play in a genuinely important game, however, it is clear that Ferguson has bought himself a goalkeeper who is not going to sit in the shadows and quietly wait for De Gea to play himself out of the team.
'I don't know what you expect me to say,' said Lindegaard, 27, when asked about his position at United. 'Do you expect me to say I'm happy to be number two? That's not how it is. I am here because I want to be number one.
'If you are good enough you're going to play - it's as simple as that. I do as well as I can when I get the chances and in the end if I am good enough I am going to be number one.'
While De Gea has taken some time to settle at United and continues to lack a little stature, Lindegaard comes across as immediately more gregarious. He talks and thinks with the same confidence with which he plays.
He stood and spoke for 15 minutes to journalists after United's 1-1 draw against Benfica on Tuesday night, mocking some questions and answering others with an honesty that is not always apparent with modern players.
He only became coy when asked if he thought he was due to play at Bolton in the Barclays Premier League last weekend. 'I have no comment on that,' he said. 'That is something I don't want to talk about.'
That apart, Lindegaard was happy to talk up his game and reflect on one of the biggest nights of his career in Lisbon.
'It was a fantastic experience, like a childhood dream coming true,' he added. 'The reflex save I made in the second half I would never have made while in Norway or Denmark. It just goes to show how much I am improving since coming to United. Alex Ferguson has helped me a lot. He said to me: ''Play the game, not the occasion'' and it was exactly my approach to this game.
Angry: Sir Alex Ferguson snapped at a reporter who posed a question about his goalkeepers
'There's only room for one goalkeeper in the team. We have a very good competition. We have two top goalkeepers and we have Ben Amos as well, who is a very promising young man. That's how it is in all positions at United and that's how it should be.
'I'm never going to complain about competition - it's tough. But I accept the manager's choice every time. He has proven he is the best manager in the world and I will always respect and accept his decisions.
'You can see so far I have not had many opportunities to show who I am, but this was one of them and it was a big game. It shows a bit about how good the competition is, it is not as clear as it was last year - who is first and who is second.'
-
He looks like he has the temperament to be a world class keeper. He wants it badly and is not afraid to ask for it. Got balls!