How do you solve a problem like de Gea?

Another game, another costly mistake by David de Gea.

This time, one that has probably cost Manchester United a place in the Champions League.

It’s his third in as many games. Lionel Messi benefited from the first, Leroy Sane from the second, now Marcos Alonso.

It’s not exactly the best way to get the big pay rise he is reported to be seeking.

There is no question that de Gea is an excellent goalkeeper and has been an outstanding servant for United. Over the course of his career he has saved United far more points than he has cost them. That’s why he has been United’s player of the year so many times.

You can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times in his United career he has made mistakes that led directly to goals. But in his last four matches he has made three.

To make so many mistakes in such a short space of time suggests he is lacking in confidence or not concentrating on his game.

He’s clearly going through a bad patch. Every player goes through bad patches. And when a player goes through a bad patch he can expect to be dropped. No exceptions.

De Gea was dropped by Louis van Gaal at the start of the 2015 season after Real Madrid tried to sign him and he bounced back.

He wanted to go to Madrid then and he probably wants to go now. So let him go.

He’s been an excellent servant to the club but it’s time to cash in on one of United’s true world class players before his stock and value fall any further.

But to drop him for the last two games of the season would be an ignominious end to an illustrious career. So play him in the last two games of the season then let’s say goodbye and good luck. He deserves it. Because quite frankly United don’t deserve him.

Then sit back and watch Ed Woodward go out and pay over the odds for a big name replacement like Jan Oblak so he can sell some shirts, even though United have a perfectly decent reserve goalkeeper in Sergio Romero and two excellent young goalkeepers in Joel Pereira and Dean Henderson, both currently out on loan.