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Rio Ferdinand has made the controversial statement that third choice Manchester United goalkeeper, Tom Heaton, is very important for the side.
Speaking on the Vibe with Five podcast, the former defender claimed that Heaton was “huge” for the club.
The United academy product re-joined the club in 2021 when leaving Aston Villa.
Ferdinand, who was at the club when Heaton was a youth product claimed, “Tom Heaton is going to be a Scott Carson. In terms of value in the changing room, he (Pep Guardiola) said ‘Scott Carson is huge for them’”.
“Tom Heaton would probably fall into that category. He must be.”
Whilst there is logic to the idea that a 37 year old solid professional like the goalkeeper must be a good influence on the dressing room, it is hard to see where a player who has only represented the side three times in his career can be spoken of in such glowing terms.
Heaton moved away from United in 2010 after never having made an appearance for the first team.
He would later go on to have a successful Premier League career playing for the likes of Burnley and Aston Villa.
He would even go on to make three appearances for the English national team due to the calibre of his performances.
The English goalkeeper put in a sensational performance at Old Trafford in 2016, but in the claret and blue of Burnley.
According to premierleague.com , “Jose Mourinho’s side had 37 efforts on goal, only for Heaton to produce a series of stunning saves”.
The Chester-born keeper would have to wait until December 2021 to make his official bow for the club in a Champions League dead-rubber game against Young Boys, when he came on as a second-half substitute.
Heaton would make his first ever start for the Red Devils against Charlton in the Carabao Cup in 2022 and also his second, and last to date, at home to Nottingham Forest in the league cup semi-final second leg in 2023.
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