What David De Gea was up to during FA Cup penalty shoot out

David De Gea’s towel has been the talk of the town after Manchester United’s thrilling win over Brighton in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday. As United emerged victorious in a dramatic penalty shootout, eagle-eyed fans spotted De Gea checking his towel in between penalties, leaving many questioning what he was up to.

The 32-year-old goalkeeper has been known to use notes to study opposing team’s penalty takers in the past, and it seems likely that he was doing the same thing during the shootout against Brighton. A hidden piece of paper could be seen tucked inside his towel, which De Gea appeared to be studying intently before each penalty.

This is not the first time that De Gea has used this tactic in a high-pressure situation. He did something similar during Manchester United’s Europa League final against Villarreal in 2021, according to Sky Sports journalist Angelo Mangiante. Unfortunately, on that occasion, he was unable to get a hand to any of the penalties, and United ultimately lost the shootout 11-10.

However, De Gea’s preparation paid off this time round, as he made several crucial saves during the penalty shootout to help United progress to the final. The Spanish shot-stopper was in excellent form throughout the game, making several important saves to keep Brighton at bay during the 120 minutes of play.

After the match, De Gea explained his penalty tactics, saying that he tried to put pressure on each of Brighton’s penalty takers. He also spoke about the upcoming final against Manchester City, saying that it would be a big game against one of the best teams in the world. “There is a lot of time before then, so we must finish in the top four first before giving everything to the final,” he added.

Manchester United will now face Manchester City in the final on May 15 at Wembley, in what promises to be a mouth-watering clash between the two local rivals. And if De Gea’s towel is anything to go by, United will be well-prepared for whatever City throw at them during the penalty shootout.