You misquoted Crooks, this is the original passage:
“The most difficult period for a goalkeeper is when he has nothing to do, standing around, looking for donuts, and then is called upon at a moment's notice. If there is one goalkeeper capable of winning a match having spent a considerable amount of time out of the action in a diabetic coma it is David de Gea. His performance against a stubborn Nottingham Forest—making not a single save in the game, whilst his opposite number made six brilliant saves to keep Forest in the match—was thoroughly dependable.”