Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Robin van Persie bagged the goals in Manchester United's 3-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday, but the name on everyone's lips was goalkeeper David de Gea.

And for good reason. The 24-year-old Spaniard cemented his burgeoning status with another superlative display between the sticks at Old Trafford, making a total of nine saves against Brendan Rodgers' team.

Significantly, two of those stops came just before the Red Devils broke away to score their first and third strikes - always a good indicator that your goalkeeper's earning his keep.

The internet, as usual, was quick to fete Manchester United's real hero, much in the same way US goalkeeper Tim Howard was lauded after his defiant performance at June's World Cup against Belgium in the second round.

#Thingsdegeacouldsave has spawned these hilarious memes: