The goalkeeper had a slow start but, with a settled defence in front of him, he is proving his worth
when Manchester United signed André Onana over the summer, the club’s supporters hoped their goalkeeping issues were rectified. Yes, David de Gea won the Premier League’s golden glove award last season, having kept more clean sheets (17) than any other keeper, but his inability to pick out teammates from range was holding back the team.
While the manner of De Gea’s exit divided fans and even upset some players, the fact remained that United needed to improve between the sticks if they were to build upon last season’s third-placed finish. The addition of Onana was supposed to bolster their chances of closing the gap on Manchester City. Given that United finished 14 points behind City and lost to them in the FA Cup final, United needed to improve in any way they could.
On paper, Onana was the perfect fit. He had played a key role in Internazionale’s run to the Champions League final earlier this year and he had worked under Erik ten Hag at Ajax. Not only is the Cameroonian a fine shot stopper, but he is more than capable of picking out teammates from range, effectively operating as a goalkeeper and an 11th outfielder. He made more accurate long balls (116) than any other player in the Champions League last season, showing his ability to quickly set his side on the front foot.
This was an aspect to United’s game that was found wanting last season, particularly compared to their rivals. Their average of 24.7 accurate long balls per game may have ranked sixth in the Premier League but they were some way behind the top two clubs: Liverpool (30.3) and Manchester City (28.4). United are starting to close that gap this season. They are averaging 25.2 accurate long passes, which is the fourth highest in the league.
That said, it has taken some time for Onana to get to grips with his new surroundings. Most goalkeepers need time to adjust to the demands of a new league and a new country – it’s worth remembering that Alex Ferguson repeatedly defended De Gea in his early months at the club – and Onana has not been helped by United’s overall poor form. The team picked up only nine points from their first seven matches, their worst start to a season in the Premier League era. With Ten Hag’s side lumbering into a new crisis every week, it was hardly surprising that Onana had a questionable start.
Nevertheless, he has started to turn his fortunes around. There are still some nervy moments – he has a habit of pushing the ball into the danger zone when he makes saves – but, as he has become more accustomed to his teammates and started playing with a more settled backline in front of him, Onana’s form has improved. Only Wes Foderingham (65) has made more saves than Onana (51) this season, and his save success rate of 76.1% is bettered only by the Liverpool keeper Alisson (84.6%). His clean sheet in the 3-0 win win against Everton on Sunday was Onana’s fifth of the Premier League campaign; no goalkeeper has kept more. His improved showings give him a WhoScored rating of 6.96 – a figure based on a multitude of statistics – which is the best of all keepers in the league.
Having an unexpectedly composed defence has helped United and Onana. It is not the backline that United fans or Ten Hag expected, but it is working. Harry Maguire has come in from the cold and become a key man at the heart of the backline, and done so alongside Victor Lindelöf, who was deemed third choice behind Lisandro Martínez and Raphaël Varane. Maguire and Lindelöf have benefited from injuries to the first-choice duo but their established understanding has given the team a welcome solidity.
Two of the five clean sheets Onana has kept this season have come with Maguire and Lindelöf in defence, with four of United’s eight league wins coming in the five matches they have started together. Onana has looked far sturdier in recent weeks and, surprisingly, his improvement has come while playing with two centre-backs who were expected to leave the club over the summer.
Unexpected alterations in midfield have also helped Onana, with injuries to Casemiro and Christian Eriksen handing Scott McTominay, another outcast, a chance to prove himself. McTominay also looked set to leave in the summer, but he has revived the side in recent weeks. The core of the current United team may not be the earth-shattering names supporters crave but the familiarity among these seemingly exiled players has certainly helped Onana.
Having struggled at both ends of the pitch at the start of the season, United have at least stemmed the flow at the back. They are not overwhelming teams – 11th-placed Brentford have a better goal difference – but their strong defence means they are staying competitive in matches. They have still scored only 16 league goals this season – the same number as Nottingham Forest and not even half as many as Manchester City – so Ten Hag still has attacking issues to iron out. However, with Onana starting to prove his worth, it’s no coincidence that United are climbing the table. Ten Hag finally has a solid foundation to build upon.
