After saving a point for Arsenal against Manchester United, David Raya departed Old Trafford with the appreciation of his colleagues and manager Mikel Arteta.
It was easy to forget that the goalie at the opposite end of the field had contributed to United’s 1-1 draw in an enthralling match on Sunday, during the chaos surrounding Raya’s incredible late save from Bruno Fernandes.
Everyone at United has had a tough season as the largest team in English football has fallen to 14th place in the Premier League standings, and Andre Onana is no different from the rest of his colleagues.
He would prefer to forget some of the incidents, such as the spilled cross that allowed Georginio Rutter to score for Brighton at Old Trafford, the Morgan Gibbs-White shot that defeated Onana in the home loss to Nottingham Forest, and the pass that Matej Vydra intercepted to put Viktoria Plzen ahead in the Czech Republic’s Europa League.
Onana’s contribution to Ipswich’s two goals at Old Trafford more recently came after a mix-up with Patrick Dorgu and a cross that slipped in at his far post as he was waiting for Liam Delap to touch the ball.
However, just as Onana’s occasional slip-ups bring back memories of his first season at United, so does his ability to bounce back.
Onana could not be accused of hiding. Even though United players, such as Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton, his two understudies, have been leaving like flies, the Cameroon goalkeeper has remained resilient and made amends for his errors.
Onana made two last-minute saves against Arsenal on Sunday, one from Martin Odegaard down to his right and one from Gabriel Martinelli at his near post, tipping over Odegaard’s attempt in the second half. Although not quite as good as Raya’s blocks from Joshua Zirkzee, Noussair Mazraoui, and Fernandes, they were equally important.
Onana kept United in their Europa League last 16 match against Real Sociedad on Thursday night by denying Brais Mendez and Orri Oskarsson late in the game. It was a similar tale in San Sebastian.
Furthermore, despite Ruben Amorim’s team losing to Fulham on penalties four days prior, Onana’s two saves against Emile Smith-Rowe and Ryan Sessegnon in extra time were necessary to advance United to a shootout.
After losing twice from set pieces against Arteta’s team at the Emirates in December, it was noteworthy that he was much stronger at corners versus Arsenal. Declan Rice’s superb equalizer in the 74th minute was beyond Onana’s control.
Passing out from the back is still an issue; the Gunners attempted to take advantage of it early on at Old Trafford, but it is more due to United’s defenders’ comfort level receiving the ball under duress than it is to any issues with Onana.
Despite a difficult season, the 28-year-old has been a pillar of this United team, particularly in the weeks following Bayindir and Heaton’s injuries, when rookie goalkeepers Elyh Harrison, Dermot Mee, Hubert Graczyk, and William Murdock have taken their place on the bench.
Even for a goalkeeper who has played in a Champions League final and maintained goal for major European clubs like Inter Milan and Ajax, the learning curve at United has been difficult.
Onana has learned to appreciate the importance of playing for United and the scrutiny that comes with it since he was thrown from the halfway line during his home debut against Lens in the summer of 2023 after moving from Inter for £47.2 million to join his former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
He is aware that every action will be scrutinized, and every error will be exaggerated and demonized.
There is a lot of pressure, especially when you are playing goal for Manchester United in what is likely their worst season since their 1974 relegation. It’s inevitable to make mistakes and receive criticism.
Onana, the keeper for United, at least, is a man who never backs down.
