From Blackburn zero to Ewood hero

The Spaniard made three superb saves as Sir Alex Ferguson\'s side moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Rovers on Monday night.Manchester United did not spend two years scouting David de Gea for nothing. On Monday night he produced the latest in a string of performances worthy of a goalkeeper who cost £18.3 million as his side took a huge step towards the Premier League title.From Blackburn zero to Blackburn hero. It was against Rovers on New Year’s Eve that the 21-year-old produced a performance so dreadful, so unconvincing that he was dropped by Sir Alex Ferguson and Anders Lindegaard became the club’s first choice in goal.But the Dane suffered an ankle injury in mid-January, meaning De Gea was restored to the side, and he has not looked back.Gone is the shaky, timid character who looked overwhelmed by the physicality of the Premier League, a player so weak at dealing with crosses than even United supporters feared the worst when the opposition won a corner.United won 2-0 at Ewood Park on Monday to move five points clear of rivals Manchester City at the top of the table with seven games to play.Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young scored the goals that sealed the points, but De Gea deserved just as much credit for the victory that leaves the Old Trafford club hot favourites to win a 20th top flight title.He produced three outstanding saves in the first half, most notably a flying stop to keep out Marcus Olsson’s fierce effort on the stroke of half-time. United may have dominated possession for much of the game, but they needed their No. 1 at his best to stop Blackburn taking the lead.It was the mark of a goalkeeper full of confidence. De Gea had little to do but was alert when he was required to help his side out. Crosses? Not a problem. He seems to be bulking up by the day, despite his childlike facial hair, and his distribution has always been excellent.\"David de Gea made three fantastic saves to keep us in the game,\" said Ferguson after the match.\"Although we had all the possession, we couldn\'t create the openings to get in front. David has done his bit for the team. He has really grown in stature the boy. He was outstanding.\"Ferguson has always insisted that De Gea would need a bedding in period, time to acclimatise to the nature of English football and the pressures of playing for one of the most successful clubs in Europe.The statements of support appeared unconvincing when the Spain under-21 man was letting shots squirm under his body, but he has proven many an armchair pundit wrong.For any player, in any position, confidence is the key. Of the goalkeepers with more than 10 Premier League appearances this season, De Gea has the best saves-to-shots ratio at 79 per cent.A strong No.1 lays the foundation for title challenges and trophies. United took a gamble by signing a relative novice to step into the role mastered by Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar.The likes of Massimo Taibi and Mark Bosnich failed to pass the test and there was a feeling Ferguson may have given up on De Gea after the Blackburn defeat in December.Now rather than talking about the gaffes that cost points, United fans can look at saves that could make the difference in the title race. There were three on Monday night, while the save to deny Juan Mata against Chelsea in February was a key moment in the title race.De Gea’s rise has been mirrored in United’s stunning form in the second half of the season as they have reeled in City and are now pulling clear of their noisy neighbours.Four weeks ago, United were five points behind City but a 10-point swing now leaves them only having to keep their cool to win the league. Their next three games are against sides in the bottom six - QPR, Wigan and Aston Villa - and there is so much experience in the squad that they are unlikely to crumble under the pressure.The 7,000 visiting fans who were in the Darwen End on Monday night knew that, greeting the final whistle with a roar that almost matched the one a year ago when they won the title at the same ground.Ferguson pumped his fists towards the crowd, a 20th title, his 13th, within sight. If and when it comes, De Gea will deserve the credit he gets for his role. He has already proved he has the mental strength of a man made to play for Manchester United.