Jamie Carragher has specifically highlighted Manchester United’s goalkeeper Andre Onana for his role in altering wins into draws and draws into losses. This scrutiny comes after Onana’s selection as Man Utd’s new goalkeeper, a move intended to replace David de Gea during the summer transfer from Inter Milan, reuniting him with his former Ajax coach Erik ten Hag.
Despite this, Onana has displayed signs of nervousness and has made crucial errors, casting doubt on his status as a consistent starter and raising questions about whether Man Utd made the right decision in signing him.
Following a 3-3 draw with Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday, Onana’s performance failed to inspire confidence, intensifying pressure on him, especially considering his status as Manchester United’s most expensive goalkeeper signing in history.
According to Carragher, Onana’s vulnerability will only increase if he fails to rediscover the form he exhibited during his time at Inter. Carragher emphasized the unsustainability of having a goalkeeper consistently committing basic mistakes and highlighted the risk of Onana continuing down this path, which could lead to more errors.
Carragher, a former Liverpool defender, emphasized the importance of great goalkeepers in turning defeats into draws and narrow victories, particularly at elite clubs. He lamented Onana’s inability to fulfill this role for Manchester United, mentioning the overwhelming workload that contributes to his increased likelihood of making mistakes.
In a stark evaluation of Onana’s struggles against Galatasaray, Carragher noted that such a performance would have jeopardized another goalkeeper’s prospects at the club, stressing that the handling error made by Onana for Galatasaray’s second goal was unacceptable for a Manchester United goalkeeper and even remarked that an under-18 goalkeeper would be expected to perform better.
Despite these criticisms, Erik ten Hag continues to show faith in Onana, who remains under contract with Manchester United until 2028, with a potential extension for another year.