Is Manchester United Goalkeeper Andre Onana a Problem or a Solution for Amorim’s System?

Andre Onana, the Manchester United goalkeeper, has recorded more clean sheets in the Premier League this season than any other player in his position, yet he has faced criticism following recent mistakes. Manchester United relied on Rasmus Hojlund to rescue them from a difficult situation during their match against Viktoria Plzen on Thursday night; however, attention was heavily focused on goalkeeper Andre Onana due to another error. While the score remained 0-0, his effort to distribute the ball to Matthijs de Ligt was intercepted by Pavel Sulc, who promptly assisted Matej Vydra for a goal. Hojlund’s two goals ultimately rendered the error inconsequential as United achieved a crucial Europa League win – nevertheless, Onana’s mistake marked his second in consecutive matches and is arguably a source of apprehension, especially with Manchester City, their rivals, scheduled for Sunday. Despite this, Manchester United’s captain, Bruno Fernandes, publicly defended his colleague following the match. “It is not about Andre making the mistake, we don’t look at individuals here when something happens on the wrong side,” Fernandes stated to TNT Sports. “We have huge belief in him. He knows he made a mistake because he is a clever guy, he is going to help us many times and we trust his qualities on the ball.” “Mistakes are part of football. If they don’t happen then goals don’t happen. But we did well to show the resilience to come back and find the victory.” This Premier League season, Onana has arguably performed as one of the top goalkeepers, achieving more clean sheets than any other. However, his history of errors means that any misstep he commits now quickly draws significant attention. During the previous season, he notably committed two expensive errors when Manchester United played to a 3-3 draw against Galatasaray, an outcome that ultimately hindered their prospects of advancing past the Champions League group stage. Furthermore, despite generally consistent performances this term, the mistake against Viktoria Plzen occurred only days after a subpar showing against Nottingham Forest. During that particular match, he was misled by a shot from Morgan Gibbs-White, shifting to his right even though the attempt was aimed centrally and passed swiftly by his hand. Forest ultimately secured a 3-2 victory in that game, with former Manchester United defender Phil Jones commenting at the time that Onana ought to have performed more effectively. “He will be disappointed with that. It will be a tough watch,” Jones remarked. “It’s one of the knuckleball ones, but he should be saving it. He’s made a mistake, but he has been one of the better goalkeepers this season.” “We want to play from the back and everyone knows that then we have to make the right decision on the pitch,” Fernandes further stated. “Andre [Onana] thought that Matta [De Ligt] could get on the ball but he missed it and they scored a goal.” United is not unique in its ambition to initiate play from the defensive line, as this particular style of play has gained prominence in recent years. When successful, this method provides an effective means of bypassing an opponent’s press. When unsuccessful, its failures are frequently dramatic. Ruben Amorim, similar to numerous contemporary managers, favors possession-oriented football where the goalkeeper is encouraged to execute short passes instead of long clearances. De Ligt was identified as an individual who might encounter difficulties playing in Amorim’s preferred manner, and a portion of the responsibility for Viktoria Plzen’s goal was also attributed to the defender. “It’s both of their fault,” remarked former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves. “De Ligt doesn’t really want it, which is why he goes back, but he’s got to go to the ball so they can get it out wide.” “Amorim wants his centre-backs to go in there to receive the ball. It’s a difficult position to be in.” Former Arsenal midfielder Karen Carney further commented: “For the Viktoria Plzen goal it is a slow ball into the feet of Andre Onana by Lisandro Martinez and what he is then saying to De Ligt is to come short. If they do that he can bounce it out the other side and avoid the high press.” “But De Ligt is on his back foot and he doesn’t want the ball, he is too slow to react and then it is an error.” Onana was acquired by former manager Erik ten Hag in July last year; the Dutchman brought him in to replace David de Gea, intending to transition towards a possession-oriented playing style that originated with the goalkeeper. De Gea, who had been at Old Trafford for 12 years, was unattached for a period before signing with Italian club Fiorentina during the summer. Comparisons with Onana are anticipated, considering he was recruited to succeed De Gea – especially since the former Spain goalkeeper, aged 34, is enjoying an excellent season thus far, having achieved seven clean sheets in 14 appearances. He boasts a superior shot save percentage compared to Onana (80 as opposed to 67.1) and has not yet committed any significant errors resulting in goals, unlike Onana who has made two. However, De Gea has encountered fewer shots (55 versus 82), potentially indicating the robustness of the defense preceding him, given Fiorentina’s fourth-place standing in Serie A. Most significantly, to Onana’s advantage, the United goalkeeper has not only executed substantially more passes than De Gea but has also done so with considerably greater accuracy. Onana’s pass completion statistics this season also show a positive comparison to De Gea’s last season at Old Trafford, during which his accuracy rate was 72.6%. His proficiency with the ball is a primary factor behind his acquisition 18 months ago – and a crucial reason why he could remain vital for Amorim’s playing style. “Onana is one of the best ball-playing goalkeepers,” Carney further stated. “He’s better with the ball at his feet than some of the centre-backs at Manchester United, being brutally honest.” Sandi Toksvig is accompanied by Gyles Brandreth, Lulu, Emmanuel Sonubi, and Alan Davies. Take the microphone for Queen, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Katy Perry, and others… Ben Fogle and Kate Humble return for the celebrations at Longleat Safari Park. Covering topics from microplastics in our air, soil, and waterways, to the volume of food waste during this period of the year. © 2024 BBC. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.