Nemanja Matic Criticizes Onana's Performance
Onana's mistakes have sparked debate over whether he should be dropped, and Manchester United's management will need to make a decision on his future soon. The team's chances of progressing in the Europa League depend on it, and the pressure is on Onana to deliver a strong performance in the second leg.
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has faced intense criticism after making two costly mistakes in the Europa League quarterfinal first leg against Lyon, with former Manchester United player Nemanja Matic calling him one of the worst goalkeepers in the club's history.
Onana's errors, including a 94th-minute mistake, gifted Lyon a 2-1 win and left the tie in the balance ahead of the second leg in Manchester. The timing of Onana's mistakes was particularly bad, as he had been involved in a personal battle with Nemanja Matic, who had responded to Onana's comments about Lyon with a jibe earlier in the week. Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has defended Onana, stating that he has made more mistakes than Onana this season and expressing confidence in the goalkeeper.
Onana has made eight errors leading to goals in all competitions since last season, the most of any keeper playing for a Premier League club. Despite this, Amorim said that he was "really confident" in the goalkeeper and would choose the best XI to play when the time comes. However, former assistant coach Mike Phelan suggested that the team may need to reconsider their goalkeeper options after Onana's performance.
The draw leaves Manchester United needing to beat Lyon in the return leg to progress to the semi-finals, and Onana's performance has raised further questions about his future at the club. With the pressure mounting, Onana will need to regain his form and confidence if Manchester United is to advance in the Europa League.