It’s not been the best week for Andre Onana and Manchester United, after their 3-3 draw against Galatasaray left their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.
The goalkeeper was largely at fault for two of the goals scored by the Turkish giants, both free-kicks from former Chelsea ace, Hakim Ziyech.
Those mistakes follow on from a catalogue of errors that have beset Onana’s start at the Red Devils.
In fact, his form in between the posts has been so bad, that even CaughtOffside columnist, Stan Collymore, has suggested that Onana is worse than the keeper that United got rid of, David de Gea.
During his press conference for the match against Newcastle this weekend, Erik ten Hag admitted that Onana wasn’t undroppable but that he retained the support of his manager and the club.
Fabrizio Romano, writing in his exclusive Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside, agreed that the custodian needs to be given time.
‘It’s important to clarify that everyone is protecting and supporting him at the moment and the vision is still the same, but obviously the club want the situation (in terms of mistakes) to change,’ he wrote.
‘He hasn’t had an easy beginning of the season for Man United, but I think he’s a very good goalkeeper. He just needs to adapt to his new team and new defence.
‘Inter’s defence were playing always in the same style and protecting him way more than he is now. He needs to take things step by step but Onana remains a great goalkeeper.’
As with all football players confidence is key, and Onana’s looks shot to pieces at present.
The 14 goals that the Red Devils have conceded so far in the Champions League is their highest ever, and they still have a rampant Bayern Munich to play in their final group game.
It isn’t clear just how much time Onana will be given to put things right, and more of the same in terms of the sort of errors he’s been making could well see an earlier than expected chance for Altay Bayindir.