The Onana Conundrum: Brilliance and Blunders Define Goalkeeper’s Turbulent Spell at Manchester United

When Manchester United secured the signing of Andre Onana from Inter Milan in the summer of 2023, it heralded a significant shift in goalkeeping philosophy at Old Trafford. Replacing the long-serving David de Gea, Onana arrived with a reputation as a prototypical modern goalkeeper – confident on the ball, capable of initiating attacks with good distribution, and possessing sharp reflexes. Fresh off a Champions League final appearance, expectations were high.

However, nearly two years on, Onana’s time between the posts for United has been less a smooth transition and more a rollercoaster ride, characterised by moments of quality punctuated by costly errors and kamikaze handling. His form has been maddeningly inconsistent, leaving fans and pundits alike debating his suitability for the demanding role. Only this week, former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder, Nemanja Matic, labelled him as one of the worst keepers in Uniteds history.

And the stats are there to support Matic’s argument; since joining United, Onana has played 93 matches, conceding 137 goals, an average of nearly 1.5 goals per game. Since the start of last season, he has made 8 errors that have lead to goals scored against United, more than any other premier league goalkeeper.

A Baptism of Fire: Early Season Errors

Onana arrived with high expectations, and early mistakes amplified the pressure. Several high-profile errors, particularly in the crucial Champions League group stage of the 2023/24 season, set an unfortunate tone:

1. Bayern Munich (Away, September 2023): Onana allowed a relatively straightforward shot from Leroy Sané to squirm under his body and into the net. It was an error that gifted Bayern the lead and visibly shook his confidence. He publicly accepted blame post-match, but the damage was done.
2. Galatasaray (Home, October 2023): In a chaotic match, it was Onana’s distribution that proved costly. A misplaced pass led directly to Galatasaray regaining possession and ultimately scoring, highlighting the risks associated with his style when execution falters under pressure.
3. Brentford (Home, October 2023): Back in the Premier League, he was slow to get down to Mathias Jensen’s shot, allowing it to beat him at his near post – an area where goalkeepers are not expected to concede from.

More Inconsistency in 2024/25

While the frequency of high-profile blunders may have reduced slightly as the current season continues, the underlying inconsistency has remained a concern. There have still been moments that raised eyebrows:

1. Brighton (Home, January 2025): 2 costly errors allowed Jimi’s Seagulls to come away with a 3-1 win. He was at fault for Brightons third goal, spilling a cross that allowed Georginio Rutter finish the game off at 2-1.
2. Viktoria Plzen (Away, December 2024): Just after half time, Onana attempted to pass the ball to Matthis De Light, which was intercepted by Pavel Sulc to allow Vydra to score and take the lead. Rasmus Hjolund’s double won the game and saved Onana’s blushes on this occasion
3. Spurs (Away, January 2025): After a cross from Son was cleared, the ball fell to Lucas Bergvall who had a speculative effort at goal. Onana could only parry the shot into the path of James Maddison, allowing him to score the only goal of the game.
4. Lyon (Away, April 2025): Onana was at fault for both goals just this week against Lyon in the Europa League, first of all failing to get to a cross / free kick from Thiago Almada, and then fumbling a shot straight to Rayan Cherki for a close range tap in.

Why the Struggles?

While the errors and the stats speak for themselves, it’s more difficult to determine the reasons behind Onana’s struggle between the sticks for United.

• Immense Pressure: Replacing a club legend like De Gea at a club of Manchester United’s stature brings enormous pressure. Every mistake is magnified and scrutinised intensely. De Gea was regularly applauded for his performances, it was always going to be difficult to follow him.
• Defensive Instability: Onana has often played behind a constantly changing and frequently unsettled defence, due to injuries, inconsistent centre half play (Harry Maguire, for one) or new arrivals (Yoro, De Ligt). A lack of consistent protection and understanding with his backline can expose any goalkeeper.
• Confidence: Keepers live on confidence, probably more so than strikers, mainly because any mistakes are magnified because of the potential negative impact they have on a result. Early errors were frequent for Onana, and his confidence sometimes looks shot.
• Risk vs. Reward Style: His proactive style and emphasis on distribution inherently carry more risk than a traditional approach. When it works, it’s an asset; when it fails, it can be costly.

Conclusion: The Verdict Remains Out

Andre Onana remains an enigma at Manchester United. He is capable of producing stunning saves and his distribution remains a potential asset, particularly in Fantasy, where he is the 6^th highest scoring keeper this season. But the continued presence of these fundamental goalkeeping errors deep into his second season at Old Trafford is a major concern.

The hope that he would mature into a figure of reliability has not fully materialised, and the errors, ranging from technical flaws to questionable judgment, continue to undermine his overall performance. Manchester United need stability and assurance from its goalkeeper, and Onana’s season has unfortunately proven that these qualities are still lacking on a consistent basis. I would not be surprised to see him move on in the summer.

Gary Cronin, April 2025