Edwin van der Sar's current clean sheet is lasting a long time. The giant Dutchman hasn't conceded a league goal for Manchester United since Samir Nasri netted for Arsenal against the Red Devils in November.
That's an astonishing 13 games that van der Sar and his back-four have kept their net intact, and their run has already made them English and British record holders. Should they keep Fulham at bay for 64 minutes at Old Trafford next Wednesday, then they will have broken the world record set by Atletico Madrid's Abel Renso at 1275 minutes without conceding.
But van der Sar has highlighted today that such success is not merely down to his capabilities as a goalkeeper, it is the defenders, indeed the whole team, in front of him who work to protect the United goal.
"When you talk about the achievement it is all about the team. It's hard work from everybody," he told The Manchester Evening News earlier.
"I had to make a couple of saves at West Ham, for instance, but the defenders are incredible, how they defend, how they clear the balls. It's a team effort because everybody tracks back.
"It is all about organisation. It is about trusting each other. It is about knowing if Rio steps to the right, Vida will follow, or Rafael knows how to come inside, or Michael Carrick knows when he has to block a shot."
The strong team ethic encouraged at Old Trafford was also evident when van der Sar ruminated on the progress made by the Mancunians this season, especially since their return from the Club World Cup in Tokyo.
"It is all about the team. It is magnificent. Hopefully we can keep it going for a while. The records will only be important at the end of the season," he added.
"Of course, it is great but if we end up losing another four or five games until the end of the season we probably won't be the champions. That is the goal. It is a halfway point. You take it on board but you don't celebrate. It is a fantastic record and I'm very happy about it. But what really means a lot at the moment is the win.
"We are getting on with our business quietly but confidently. Everybody is out to get us, as we are champions and because of the record, it makes it harder.
"But we are very determined to hang on to it and keep this run going.
"It is a tremendous achievement what we have done over the last couple of months with the amount of games we have played. The number of points we have got since we left for Tokyo is outstanding."
That's an astonishing 13 games that van der Sar and his back-four have kept their net intact, and their run has already made them English and British record holders. Should they keep Fulham at bay for 64 minutes at Old Trafford next Wednesday, then they will have broken the world record set by Atletico Madrid's Abel Renso at 1275 minutes without conceding.
But van der Sar has highlighted today that such success is not merely down to his capabilities as a goalkeeper, it is the defenders, indeed the whole team, in front of him who work to protect the United goal.
"When you talk about the achievement it is all about the team. It's hard work from everybody," he told The Manchester Evening News earlier.
"I had to make a couple of saves at West Ham, for instance, but the defenders are incredible, how they defend, how they clear the balls. It's a team effort because everybody tracks back.
"It is all about organisation. It is about trusting each other. It is about knowing if Rio steps to the right, Vida will follow, or Rafael knows how to come inside, or Michael Carrick knows when he has to block a shot."
The strong team ethic encouraged at Old Trafford was also evident when van der Sar ruminated on the progress made by the Mancunians this season, especially since their return from the Club World Cup in Tokyo.
"It is all about the team. It is magnificent. Hopefully we can keep it going for a while. The records will only be important at the end of the season," he added.
"Of course, it is great but if we end up losing another four or five games until the end of the season we probably won't be the champions. That is the goal. It is a halfway point. You take it on board but you don't celebrate. It is a fantastic record and I'm very happy about it. But what really means a lot at the moment is the win.
"We are getting on with our business quietly but confidently. Everybody is out to get us, as we are champions and because of the record, it makes it harder.
"But we are very determined to hang on to it and keep this run going.
"It is a tremendous achievement what we have done over the last couple of months with the amount of games we have played. The number of points we have got since we left for Tokyo is outstanding."
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