Young Manchester United goalkeeper Matej Kovar has been putting together an impressive season on loan at Sparta Prague.
Kovar, 22, signed on loan for the Czech side for the season and has quickly establishing himself as a regular for the top flight club.
He kept a clean sheet at the weekend in a 3-0 victory away at Banik Ostrava, pushing his side up to second in the table.
They sit just two points behind rivals and league leaders Slavia Prague, and Kovar’s displays are earning respect.
READ: Confirmed Manchester United transfers in, out, loan deals for January 2023
Kovar performances praised
Matej Kovar has played in each of the last 10 games for Sparta Prague, with his side going unbeaten. Kovar’s side have won nine of their last 10, drawing the other.
His performance in the 3-0 win at the weekend was singled out, with his calmness and footwork receiving praise.
Czech newspaper iSport reported: “The synergy between the defenders and central midfielders meant that Kovář didn’t even have that much work in the goal. However, he dealt with it brilliantly.
“In addition, he added great reading of the game on runs to long balls and, traditionally, superior footwork.”
This particular element of Kovar’s game is intriguing, with David de Gea’s reluctance to come off his line one of his weaknesses.
Kovar was quoted by iSport after the game, insisting he just wants to win games.
He said: “For me, clean sheets don’t mean much. I’m trying to win. If it’s 3:0 or 5:4, it doesn’t really matter. The most important thing is that we add three points to the table.”
What next for Matej Kovar
This loan spell has easily been the best of Matej Kovar’s career. He previously spent time at Swindon Town in 2020/21, which began promisingly before being derailed by a managerial change.
Last season he had a stint on loan at Burton Albion where he was signed as a back-up, before getting a chance and impressing with man of the match displays.
After getting a taste of regular first team football in his homeland, Kovar may be reluctant to step back to being a reserve. He has made 18 starts for Sparta Prague so far.
Kovar is under contract at Manchester United until 2025. The club could look to cash in on him, or challenge him further with a Championship or even Premier League loan.
His future could also depend on what the future holds for United’s senior goalkeepers. David de Gea and Tom Heaton are out of contract this summer, while Dean Henderson is also a question mark.
The post Czech press react to 'Superior' Manchester United loan goalkeeper after 9 wins in 10 games appeared first on United In Focus.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/pxiGA90