A 13th appearance and a seventh clean sheet for Manchester United at the age of 23 represents a notable total for a goalkeeper trying to dislodge one of the club’s finest ever between the sticks. Dean Henderson, however, has shown he views his career through a different lens.

Peter Schmeichel only arrived at Old Trafford at 27, while Edwin van der Sar played the first of his six seasons for United at 34. Henderson, though, possesses an urgency of character that means Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is expected to have a decision to make come the summer.

There are people at Carrington who believe Henderson will not want another season such as this in 2021-22 and a departure could follow. At least one Premier League club is actively monitoring developments.

Having joined United aged 14, Henderson’s flame is lit by a desire to win silverware at Old Trafford, but playing regularly is the fundamental motivation.

In each of the past three seasons he has featured in at least 40 games and though they have come at Shrewsbury Town in League One, Sheffield United in the Championship and then Premier League, this campaign nevertheless marks a significant drop-off in action.

United could have seven more Europa League matches and three further FA Cup ties and were Solskjaer to select Henderson in all of them a figure of 23 appearances would be respectable for a debut season. But Henderson does not view himself as a deputy for cup occasions, such as Thursday night’s 0-0 against Real Sociedad, and a frustration that Solskjaer has hinted at would inevitably grow without more Premier League exposure.

“He’s not the most patient guy,” Solskjaer said this month. “He wants to play every game because he knows he’ll perform well.”

The caveat, of course, is David de Gea. Solskjaer has repeatedly shown fidelity to a goalkeeper who has a wealth of credit but now appears more fragile than a record of five PFA team of the year nominations would suggest. The question lingers about the circumstances required for Henderson to get a sustained run.

Solskjaer is quick to highlight De Gea’s impressive interventions, such as the double save to deny Mbaye Diagne at West Bromwich Albion, and supporting his players publicly is a strategy that has triggered improvements in others. But familiar issues are persistent in De Gea.

In that same game at The Hawthorns, De Gea declined to come for Conor Gallagher’s cross that finished on Diagne’s head inside the six-yard box. For the visit of Everton, De Gea melted to a challenge with Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Against Sheffield United, De Gea was nudged off the ball for Kean Bryan’s goal in a way that may have been a foul but also betrayed the Spaniard’s supine approach to the rougher side of goalkeeping.

Henderson may be seven years younger but he has shown greater presence in this aspect than De Gea, whose 433 United appearances have been marked by tremendous shot-stopping rather than penalty-area dominance.

Against Sociedad in Turin, Henderson left his line to catch a cross under pressure, which meant that when Nacho Monreal headed that ball out of his hands United were awarded a free kick. Proof, if needed, that a goalkeeper taking command of a situation has two chances for success — on his own or through the officials.

Early on in Thursday night’s return leg, Henderson diffused a tense situation as the ball dropped behind Alex Telles by screaming to claim, and the rest of the match was marked by his vocal instructions. He follows in the airwaves of Schmeichel, you could say.

Before kick-off came a demand so loud it echoed around Old Trafford. “Come on boys, we fucking go, let’s fucking go.” Then midway through the half, Henderson bellowed desperately for Aaron Wan-Bissaka to move central as the last defender at a United free kick deep in Sociedad territory, evident feeling of the scars of that horror goal by Istanbul Basaksehir.

In the 87th minute, at a Sociedad goal kick, he called for Axel Tuanzebe to shift deeper. “Win this header,” he said, with little room for negotiation. Tuanzebe moved quickly back eight yards and beat Mikel Merino in the air.

As for Sociedad’s penalty, it might be as simple as Mikel Oyarzabal taking leave of his senses to hit the ball high and wide. But some credit should be afforded to Henderson for halting his dive as Oyarzabal shuffled. It seemed to perturb a player who had scored all 18 of his previous penalties.

Henderson’s displays have not been without fault, of course. He made a major mistake at Bramall Lane on December 17 with the ball at his feet, underestimating the speed of Oliver Burke, but responded to produce four saves including one in added time that clinched victory for United.

Henderson has not been seen in the Premier League since, but the way Solskjaer spoke after his Europa League debut in the first leg against Sociedad suggested a top-flight recall is becoming closer. “Dean has matured throughout the season,” Solskjaer said. “I thought the Sociedad game was his most assured performance, which gives me a lot of confidence in him.”

In that game Henderson produced a good early save low down to his left, and also an Ederson-style long kick that set Marcus Rashford clear for a shot. In the second half his quick roll-out to Fred led to Rashford’s goal.

Henderson has been purposeful with possession on other occasions. With one minute left in the FA Cup tie against West Ham United, he ate into time by kicking long into touch so that the visitors had to retreat. By the time West Ham got the ball into opposition territory the numbers favoured United and the full-time whistle blew. A lesson perhaps from De Gea’s clearance into midfield in the final seconds against Everton which came back like a boomerang when Ben Godfrey won the header.

As far as the basics of the job go, Henderson has outperformed De Gea this season in the Premier League. Henderson has a 78.6 per cent save ratio, compared to 61.8 per cent for De Gea and though the volume is much lower for the younger goalkeeper due to featuring in two-and-a-half games, you can only play the cards dealt.

Another measure provides further consideration. Expected goals on target conceded (xGOT) ranks the quality of shots faced by goalkeepers, which when set against the actual number of goals conceded gives an idea about the standard of saves.

Henderson has conceded three Premier League goals from shots totalling an xGOT of 2.86 — so 0.14 over the expectancy.

De Gea has let in 27 Premier League goals (subtracting two own goals) from an xGOT of 24.60 — so 2.40 over the expectancy.

It is better for goalkeepers to be under the expectancy, as Henderson was last season when he conceded only 33 goals from an xGOT of 41.35 for a remarkable difference of 8.35. He effectively saved Sheffield United more than eight goals.

The below graph shows Henderson’s effectiveness so far in the Premier League. It plots a chart based on the difference between xGOT and actual goals conceded on a rolling 50 shot average. His line was consistently well in the black during that time and though it has dropped to level with the equator, it is still higher than De Gea’s standing in the red. The graph does also highlight the fluctuating fortunes of a goalkeeper generally.

Henderson’s excellent entry into the Premier League convinced United to make him one of the highest-paid goalkeepers in the world, on a new contract believed to be worth £120,000 per week, but nobody at the club is under any illusions he is satisfied at collecting his money and stepping in between the posts occasionally.

Henderson does not hide his feelings at Carrington and while Solskjaer said this week that “two fantastic goalkeepers” is “not a bad headache to have” he may be reaching for the paracetamol when this issue becomes live at the end of the campaign.

United’s manager has shown a weariness to questions about his goalkeepers and when asked this week about maintaining happiness in his squad, replied: “It’s any player’s job to keep the manager happy I would think, to get in the team.”

The inquiries will persist, however, until Henderson is given a succession of games to explore if he is good enough for United.

Henderson is expected to be named in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championship but starting instead of Jordan Pickford could only happen when established as a No 1 at Old Trafford or elsewhere.

Another campaign as back-up to De Gea is not on Henderson’s agenda.

(Top photo: Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)