David de Gea should have been dropped by Manchester United last season.
Few other teams, or managers, would have retained him for the final few games of the season based on what had happened before. De Gea had made a litany of errors that in normal circumstances would have precipitated a spell out of the side — especially with an excellent back-up like Sergio Romero waiting in the wings.
Arsenal, Barcelona, Everton, Chelsea and more. Minor and major, De Gea made every type of mistake but three things kept him in the side.
The first was the credit he'd built over a number of years as United's star player — by a distance. Throughout the David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho years, the Spaniard had been virtually without a rival as the only world class star in the United squad, winning the club's player of the year gong in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018.
The second reason he stayed in the side was down to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, a fiercely loyal man and manager to those players he rates and values.
The third, the elephant in the room, was De Gea's contract situation. The 28-year-old has since denied feeling distracted by the uncertainty surrounding his future (yet again), with links to Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus this time, but the evidence was there.
De Gea was nowhere near his best and the idea that United might change their goalkeeper in the summer was prevalent in terrace talk and of course on social media.
The ensuing summer has seen the choppy waters becalmed around De Gea. A new contract, a leadership role, improved form.
So it's quite understandable that many are concerned over the injury he picked up while playing for Spain against Sweden on Tuesday night. It has added to the huge number of injury concerns already exacerbating the difficult situation at Old Trafford right now.
But, as good as De Gea is, he shouldn't be missed too much.
Romero deserved a chance in the United goal last season, but his ability means he will be an able deputy for as long as De Gea is sidelined. It may only be for a single match, albeit a colossal one against Liverpool — a fixture in which De Gea had tended to thrive — but Romero will be up to the task.
He has never let United down, despite only playing seven league games in his four years at the club.
He was entrusted by Jose Mourinho to be United's No.1 throughout their successful Europa League campaign in 2016/17 and has been a seasoned international for a decade.
Paul Pogba would be a huge miss against Liverpool, so too Anthony Martial if he doesn't return from injury. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw and Jesse Lingard would all be missed to varying extents too.
But with Romero, you've got the best second choice keeper in the Premier League. It's arguably the one area in which United boast two genuine quality options.
An Argentina international with 96 caps coming into the side against Liverpool? No problem.