Andre Onana finds himself in a crucial match that could define his future at Manchester United as they face Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday, with the English club striving to salvage their season.
The Cameroon international goalkeeper became the centre of attention before the first leg of the quarter-final in France, which ended in a 2-2 stalemate, after confidently declaring that United were “way better” than their rivals.
This bold statement drew a scathing response from former United midfielder Nemanja Matic, now at Lyon, who branded him “one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United’s history.”
Onana was met with a hostile atmosphere from fans during the match, and his earlier comments came back to haunt him as he was culpable for both goals that United conceded.
Following the match, United manager Ruben Amorim opted to drop Onana for Sunday’s encounter against Newcastle, opting to start back-up goalkeeper Altay Bayindir instead. Unfortunately, this decision also backfired, as the match resulted in a 4-1 defeat, with Bayindir implicated in the fourth goal.
Now, Amorim faces a pivotal choice: should he reinstate Onana or stick with Bayindir for the upcoming clash?
The implications are significant. A loss at Old Trafford would likely curtail United’s season, leaving them with little to fight for in the Premier League.
Conversely, a win could steer them towards lifting the Europa League trophy, securing a spot in the lucrative Champions League for the next season.
United parted with approximately £47 million to acquire Onana from Inter Milan in 2023, believing he would successfully replace David de Gea, with Erik ten Hag at the helm.
Ten Hag had previously collaborated with the goalkeeper at Ajax and often praised his ability to play from the back.
The 29-year-old has displayed moments of brilliance with his shot-stopping while at Old Trafford but has struggled with consistency, earning himself a notorious reputation as a ‘calamity keeper’.
Error Count
According to statistics from Opta prior to the latest round of fixtures, Onana has made the highest number of errors leading to goals among Premier League goalkeepers in all competitions since last season, with a total of eight.
Compounding the issue, former Spain international De Gea, who left the club on a free transfer, is currently excelling for Italian side Fiorentina.
Amorim has defended Onana following last week’s draw with Lyon, providing insight into his decision to omit him against Newcastle.
“Sometimes you need to motivate the player to get back on the pitch; at other times, it’s beneficial for them to take a step back. But on Monday, he will be training to prepare for the next challenge,” he stated to Sky Sports. “I believed it was a suitable moment for Andre to take a breather.”
He continued: “It was simply a standard procedure. You have to manage the situation holistically; people often focus on physical readiness, but mental wellbeing is incredibly important.”
The situation surrounding Onana is complex.
On one hand, he possesses the worst minutes-per-goal-conceded ratio of any United goalkeeper with 10 or more Premier League appearances.
However, recent Opta statistics reveal that since the commencement of the 2023/24 Premier League season, only Everton’s Jordan Pickford (8.7) has prevented more goals than Onana’s 7.5, according to expected goals data from the analytics firm.
What remains unquestionable is the significance of the upcoming match at Old Trafford.
United currently languish in 14th position in the Premier League, with just six matches remaining, and could potentially fall to 17th, just above the relegation zone.
This outcome would mark their lowest league finish since being relegated during the 1973/74 season.
Amorim still has the opportunity to salvage United’s tumultuous campaign by securing a European trophy, which could be pivotal as he embarks on a rebuilding process.
However, whether Onana will remain a key figure in this vision, both in the immediate and foreseeable future, is yet to be determined.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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