Sir Alex Ferguson Named Manchester United’s Greatest Ever Goalkeeper

· GiveMeSport

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson once revealed who he believed was the greatest goalkeeper in Manchester United history.

The number one position at Old Trafford has often been one that has either belonged to an all-time great or an all-time dud.

During his time as manager, Ferguson watched as the likes of Massimo Taibi, Jim Leighton and Mark Bosnich all struggled to handle the weight of the jersey and gloves at the Theatre of Dreams.

However, Ferguson is also the mastermind behind the arrivals of Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar and David de Gea — with one of the trio earning the crown of greatest shot-stopper in the legendary Scottish manager's eyes.

Speaking during an appearance in a documentary about the player in question, Ferguson revealed that it was indeed the Great Dane Schmeichel who he felt earned the moniker of Old Trafford's greatest number one.

In a trailer released in advance of the Sky Showtime two-parter, Ferguson was heard describing the former Aston Villa man as "the greatest goalkeeper we've ever had." Watch the clip below:

In the documentary, Ferguson elaborated on his opinion further by saying:

> "He was a great player for me, a great character, and a person I really admired. When you look at the 100-year history of Man United, Peter is right at the top of that."

Widely considered by many as the greatest goalkeeper the Premier League has ever seen , Schmeichel recorded an outstanding 180 clean sheets in 398 appearances for Manchester United.

Between 1991 and 1999, he was a commanding presence in goal at Old Trafford, playing a crucial role in the club's dominance during that era — winning five Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and the Champions League.

His personal trophy haul is just as remarkable. Schmeichel was named UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year three times (1992, 1993, and 1998) and was also honoured as the IFFHS Goalkeeper of the Year in both 1992 and 1993.

No other goalkeeper in United’s history comes close to matching his list of individual achievements, making his top-tier status in Sir Alex Ferguson’s eyes a fitting reflection of a career that set the standard for those who followed.

Schmeichel helped Man Utd win five Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the Champions League. A colossal figure in between the sticks, the former Denmark international was unquestionably the world's best goalkeeper during his peak years.

It took Ferguson the best part of six years to finally find a top-class replacement for Schmeichel. In truth, United should have signed the calm, reassured Dutchman four years earlier, but it was Fulham who surprisingly secured his signature after leaving Juventus in 2001.

A four-time winner of Manchester United's Player of the Year award, David de Gea has been one of the greatest players Old Trafford has seen during the post-Ferguson era. His performance levels dipped towards the end of his United career, but there's no question that he deserves to be remembered as one of the club's greatest-ever 'keepers.

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