Solskjaer hopes to have goalkeeper De Gea back ‘very soon’

<p>MANCHESTER, England &mdash; Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea will have “the time he needs” before returning to the team following a trip to Spain for the birth of his child, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said Friday.</p>
<p>De Gea is unavailable for Sunday’s Manchester derby and missed Wednesday’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace after he and his girlfriend traveled to Spain for the birth.</p>
<p>“I’ll give him the time he needs before he comes back,” Solskjaer said, acknowledging coronavirus protocols as well.</p>
<p>“As soon as David travels back we just have to follow the government rules,” he said. “I expect him to be available very soon.”</p>
<p>Dean Henderson will replace the Spaniard for second-placed United when they visit Etihad Stadium on Sunday.</p>
<p>“He asked to go home. In the old world, that’s a day and you come back and you’re ready again,” Solskjaer said. “Now with the pandemic and the quarantines, of course, it’s a different world."</p>
<p>Solskjaer expressed confidence in Henderson. “Dean did well against Palace,” he said.</p>
<p>First-placed City has a 14-point cushion over United.</p>
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