The goalkeeper Joel Pereira by Jose Mourinho and will make his first start against Crystal Palace on Sunday

The  goalkeeper Joel Pereira  by Jose Mourinho  will make his first start against Crystal Palace on Sunday

“We have two fantastic goalkeepers, and we have a third goalkeeper that I think will be the best Portuguese goalkeeper of the next generation,” said Jose Mourinho earlier this month when he was asked him about his plans for David de Gea and Sergio Romero. On Sunday, Joel Pereira gets his chance to show just how good he can be. The 20-year-old has already tasted the first-team environment at Manchester United once before when replacing Sergio Romero for the final 10 minutes of January’s 4-0 FA Cup win over Wigan Athletic, but Sunday’s Premier League finale against Crystal Palace will mark his full debut at a time when the spotlight is on amidst rumors that De Gea could soon finalize a protracted move to Real Madrid.
As United fans begin to wonder who might be their club’s long-term No.1, Pereira has seen his position at the club change markedly over the last couple of years. The Swiss-born Portuguese spent the first half of 2015-16 on loan at Rochdale, where he made his first eight senior appearances. While he only kept one clean sheet at Spot land, he left a great impression on many at the club. how good he can be.After returning to Old Trafford in the winter, Pereira helped the Under-21s clinch the Premier League title for a second successive year and celebrated the feat by jumping into the away end at White Hart Lane after the crowning 3-2 win against Tottenham. If De Gea does leave this summer, United might well move into the transfer market to find a replacement for the short term. But there is real belief around Old Trafford, not least in the mind of Mourinho, that Pereira could be the answer for some years to come.