Another Manchester United defeat and more criticism for goalkeeper Andre Onana. The hapless Red Devils were beaten 3-2 by Galatasaray. It was the Turkish side’s first away win in the Champions League for a decade.
It was Onana’s loose pass to Casemiro that Dries Mertens cut out before the midfielder fouled him to incur a second yellow card and get sent off. It was another night of misery for the £50 million summer signing. Replacing the departing David De Gea, United’s all-time appearance-leading goalkeeper, was always going to be a tall order. But even by that lofty standard, Onana has had a troubling start.
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United have conceded 18 goals in their first 10 games of the season in all competitions. It is the club’s worst total since 1966-67. Only Sheffield United have conceded more with 19. Onana has played in all 10 of those games.
It is easy to scapegoat a goalkeeper as the last line of resistance, but United’s issues extend far beyond their new custodian. Were the defence in front of Onana not prone to baffling errors, such as letting the ball bounce twice on the way to Wilfired Zaha’s opener, they would not have shipped this many goals.
There is also the issue of the rotating personnel in front of Onana. With Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia injured, the club have fielded Diogo Dalot, Sergio Reguilon and the out-of-position Sofyan Amrabat at left back. Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire have all had outings centrally. In a period of settling-in, Onana has not had a familiar defence in front of him.
But this does not account for the mistakes. Leroy Sane’s shot squirming under him against Bayern Munich. The early sit-down that allowed Taiwo Awoniyi to slot the ball past him against Nottingham Forest. It’s not just shot-stopping that has been an issue either. Onana was signed for his vaunted distribution but some of his kicking has been as erratic as his saves, as Casemiro found out.
It is easy to forget after 545 United appearances, but De Gea himself had a difficult start. Critics accused Sir Alex Ferguson of replacing the great Edwin van der Sar with an inexperienced and physically slight youngster. But De Gea filled out, wised up and became an outstanding goalkeeper for a decade.
Of course, at the end of his tenure the game passed him by. If Onana’s distribution has been inconsistent, De Gea’s was nonexistent. While his shot-stopping was still enough to net him the Premier League Golden Glove last season, the fact he remains a free agent speaks volume about how the modern game doesn’t suit him.
Onana will surely overcome his own slump in a similar manner. A Champions League finalist last season and the standout goalkeeper in the competition, the Cameroonian has not become a bad keeper overnight. It is hard to shine in a shambolic team, after all.
But equally, Onana needs to step up and do it soon. Altay Bayindir was Fenerbahce’s number one before joining in the summer. He would be more than capable of stepping in if manager Erik ten Hag fancies a change. That competitive pressure may bring the best out of Onana. United need a reliable goalkeeper in a time of great flux. If their number one can’t provide that, it might be time to look at option two.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
