Fluffy-chinned keeper is no longer a lamb to slaughter

When ‘Spanish Dave’ was enduring his stormy beginnings at Old Trafford, outsider knee-jerkers would often question his supposedly timorous temperament.

I recall one usually excellent journalist describing him to me, off-mic, as “the poor fluffy-chinned lamb,” whilst Gary Neville blotted his copybook live on TV by alleging that our defenders clearly had no confidence in him. I suspect neither will be repeating their errors anytime soon after such a marvellous display of bravura keeping.

Even before his stellar performance yesterday, a surprising number of Reds were already suggesting last week that he’d be a contender to be our next captain, if the Rooney boil is ever lanced.