David de Gea quipped that a ‘curse’ may be to blame for Manchester United’s recent failures.
Man United have not won anything since Jose Mourinho led them to Europa League victory in 2017, and only De Gea and Phil Jones remain from United’s most recent Premier League title triumph in 2013.
When asked why he hasn’t won more during his tenure at Old Trafford, De Gea had an unexpected remark in an interview with El Pais.
“I think they have a curse or something there [laughs]. I don’t know, I really don’t know,” he said.
“They always ask me and we talk about it among colleagues and we say: ‘I don’t know what’s going on’. We should have fought for more trophies, more big things, but I don’t know why the team doesn’t go this way, it doesn’t go…”
This season, United’s trophy drought is unlikely to end as well. Their only remaining hope of victory is in the Champions League, having been eliminated from both domestic cup tournaments and behind the Premier League championship race by 21 points.
Limping through the group stages secured a last-16 draw against struggling Atletico Madrid, and interim manager Ralf Rangnick will be keen for his team to start quickly in the first leg on 23 February.
Asked about his relationship with the new boss, De Gea said: “He wants us to be intense, to always try to press, to be very active.
“But that’s what we try: to be intense and try to recover the ball as high as possible, try to do damage. We know we have to defend better and we try to do that, but it’s hard for us.”