If there is anyone in the world who does not need to be gifted goals, it is Lionel Messi.
The Barcelona maestro’s tame shot trickled under the body of David De Gea and into the back of Manchester United’s net. Last year, such a mistake would have seemed out of character.
Lately, it hasn’t. After being named in the Premier League’s Team of the Year for four successive seasons, the simple stuff suddenly seems to be posing problems for De Gea.
Take their game against top four rivals Arsenal last month for example, when he sidestepped out of the way as Granit Xhaka scored the opener at the Emirates Stadium.
Or in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford, when Shkodran Mustafi’s header gave the visitors the lead after De Gea’s failed attempt at catching the bouncing ball.
There have been other instances of poor distribution (Felipe Anderson’s goal for West Ham last week), being beaten at his near post (Yan Valery’s powerful-but-long distance shot for Southampton last month) or failing to come off his line (multiple times against Barcelona).
So it has been a difficult 2019 for De Gea. After 18 clean sheets last campaign – a haul which won him the Golden Glove – the Spaniard has kept seven this season.
Yet one of those served as a reminder of why he was previously regarded as the world’s best goalkeeper, better than Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen or Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak.
Tottenham lost 1-0 to United at Wembley Stadium in January, despite firing off 21 shots in total. Why? Because they came up against a brick wall in De Gea, who would not be beaten.
There was also a stunning save to deny West Ham substitute Michail Antonio last week – a stop which helped United on their way to a crucial win, albeit an unconvincing one.
But the negatives have outweighed the positives lately. The inconsistency has even led some to say the club should cash in, with his contract due to expire at the end of next season.
De Gea is embroiled in a stand-off with United over an extension. Perhaps that is playing a part in his dip in form. Or maybe it is down to the vulnerability of Manchester United’s defence.
Those in front of De Gea have hardly protected his goal to perfection this term.
United have allowed 437 shots against them this season – the most of any Big Six side by far. Manchester City, who have allowed the fewest, have faced 201.
Since Opta started gathering statistics in 2003, United have never faced so many shots per match. This season they have averaged 4.55 against (though Jose Mourinho is largely to blame for that, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is averaging 3.81 to his predecessor’s pathetic 5.24).
Naturally, this has had a direct effect on De Gea. With five Premier League games still to play, he is just seven saves away from the most he has ever had to make in a single season.
So far, he has made 109. In 2017-18, he made a career-high 115. In 2016-17, he made 74.
As a result of the extra shots, some have crept in, though that does not excuse the errors.
There has long been a debate in Spain about De Gea’s abilities. The goal he conceded against Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2018 World Cup was similar to the one against Messi in midweek.
That discussion has now found its way to England. De Gea has saved United plenty of points in the past but now his excellent standards have slipped.