David de Gea: Rio Ferdinand discusses keeper’s Manchester United future after ‘beyond shocking’ error at West Ham

De Gea allowed Said Benrahma’s long-range effort to squirm past his right hand to seal all three points for the Hammers, casting doubt over a proposed new deal for the Spaniard with his current contract set to expire next month.

The result also saw Manchester United lose ground in the race to qualify for the Champions League.

Speaking to BT Sport after the match, Ferdinand said: “He [De Gea] has made an error there in terms of his shot saving, but I think the question mark about him is has he been good enough with his feet to play the Erik ten Hag way?

“In terms of shot stopping, yes, he’s made a mistake, but that’s not the area where I question him at all. Is he a good enough footballer to play for Manchester United?

“The only person that can answer that is Erik ten Hag, and we’ll know at the end of the season.

“If he gets a new deal, then Erik ten Hag thinks he’s more than capable of being his number one goalkeeper.

“We’ll just have to play the waiting game right now and see what the manager says because he’s the one with the definitive answer.”

Co-commentator Jermaine Jenas was scathing in his assessment of the goal, which came at a time when The Red Devils were dominating the match.

Jenas said: “It’s an absolute shocker for David de Gea. When it bounces to Benhrama, he’s got so much to do. United are recovering and he almost just swings his leg out at it last minute.

“It’s beyond shocking really, it really is. His team is in full control of this game.”

This defeat for United opens up the race of the top four, following wins for both Tottenham and Liverpool on Saturday.

Ten Hag’s side remain in the driving seat and sit a point clear of Jurgen Klopp’s team with a game in hand, but this represents a worrying dip in form at the wrong time.

Meanwhile, this win for West Ham effectively ends any lingering relegation fears and leaves David Moyes’s side seven points clear of the bottom three.