Former Manchester City goalkeeper John Burridge has slammed Manchester United No1 David De Gea.

Now aged 69, and still working as a keeper coach for Bowsher, a second division club in Oman, Burridge has taken aim at today's Premier League keepers.

“The art of goalkeeping is dying," says Burridge to the Mirror.

“It absolutely makes my blood boil when I look at players getting capped for England who wouldn't have been good enough to play in the Football League 30 years ago.

“The main criteria for a goalkeeper these days is to be 6ft 4ins – and it doesn't matter one bit if you're a coward.

“I saw David De Gea turn his back on the ball the other week. Manchester United's goalkeeper, scared of getting hurt. I couldn't believe it.

“But De Gea isn't the only one. They're all happy to pick up their £100,000-a-week wages – but they're not prepared to get a smack in the teeth or the nose to keep the ball out of their net.

“People might say 'John Burridge is a dinosaur, what does he know?'

“But when I talk to lads who I played against they all think the same as I do.

“The only thing keepers do these days is the 'star-jump' that Peter Schmeichel brought into the game.

“But Peter would only do that if he was close enough to the striker to be able to block the shot.

“If you saw a goalkeeper coming out feet first all the time, you knew he didn't have the courage to get to the very top.

“Now, it seems they are actually coached to do it."