Manchester United’s Andre Onana is under the microscope. His failure to show up in the Europa League semifinal first leg against Lyon was the touchstone for much of that criticism. With brilliant play by both teams, the contest resulted in a well-earned 2-2 tie. Onana’s clangers for both of Lyon’s goals only served to increase the criticism he’s facing from fans and pundits alike.
Onana’s issues were evident from the beginning of the game. He had a hard time getting into position to deal with an early long free-kick from Thiago Almada. His slow to react allowed the ball to stay on course. Plenty thought that was down to a weak defensive effort from the goalkeeper. This moment would set in motion a brutal night for Onana. It’s no secret that Lyon fans booed him every time he touched the ball when they played at Groupama Stadium.
The goalkeeper’s display was perhaps the most surprising, especially given his current record-setting numbers. Statistically, Onana already has the worst minutes per goal conceded ratio of any Manchester United goalkeeper. This stat only includes players who have played ten or more Premier League games. Since the beginning of last season, he has made eight errors leading to goals in all competitions. This alarming shift is undoubtedly at the top of everyone’s minds.
Former Red Devils player Nemanja Matic voiced his concerns regarding Onana’s performance, describing him as “statistically one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United history.” Prior to the game, Matic and Onana had an intense argument. Their verbal exchanges shed light on a simmering controversy over the goalkeeper’s disappointing recent outings.
In wake of the criticism, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has come to Onana’s defense, showing full confidence in Onana’s talent. Whenever one player has a mistake, all the collective team has a mistake so we go along like this,” he said. Amorim focused on the need for collective will and improvement, saying, “We go on repeating ourselves, doing the same thing. Training and scouting, watching all the games and determining which is the best eleven to win each match.”
The game will long be remembered for Onana’s fiery reaction as Manchester United scored a go-ahead goal in the 88th minute. He fell to his knees in celebration. Even after the adversity he faced all game long, he promised to give his team full effort with no hesitation. Just a few minutes later, he was in hot water again. Georges Mikautadze’s shot bounced off his hands, and Rayan Cherki took advantage to poke home the equalizer.
Aaron Lennon, the ex-England midfielder, reflected Onana after the clash. The one that got him in trouble was when he said Onana’s teammates would be “fuming” after his mistakes. In a blog post, he explained why he thinks both players need saving. He lamented that loss today was lost on the team’s lack of finishing, an echo of the disappointment felt by fans and players alike.
As Manchester United embark on their latest European adventure—having squeezed through the qualifying rounds—Onana’s continued status as their first-choice shot-stopper is currently the subject of debate. He has a ridiculous amount of potential, sitting second on Opta’s goals prevented per 90 minutes metric, only trailing Jordan Pickford. His lack of recent production calls his long-term future in that role into question.
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