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Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim is supporting goalkeeper Andre Onana even after his errors cost the team in a 2-2 draw with Lyon in the Europa League quarter-final. Amorim emphasized that the team is working together and expressed belief in Onana’s ability to improve.
Onana’s Performance in Focus
Goalkeeper Andre Onana’s mistakes were key in the game against Lyon, where United let go of a lead they had earned through goals by defender Leny Yoro and striker Joshua Zirkzee. Onana let a Thiago Almada free-kick slip through his hands and then spilled a shot that allowed Lyon to tie the game late. Amorim said it was a team issue. “When one player makes a mistake, everybody makes a mistake,” Amorim said. “So, we continue like this. We just need to work hard to improve.”
A Bigger Challenge for United
Amorim’s team is struggling. United are in thirteenth place in the Premier League and their only hope for European football next season is winning the Europa League. Amorim signed a five-year contract two weeks ago but recently said he would “hand over the keys” to the club if the team’s performance did not improve. Amorim supported Onana even after pundits like Paul Scholes called the errors “awful” as Onana spoke to former United midfielder Nemanja Matic in the run-up to the first goal. Amorim does not feel Onana’s actions were a distraction. “The fact that Andre puts his hands on his ears is not a problem for me, because that is not why we took the goal,” stated Amorim. “If it was difficult for him and for the team in terms of Nema Matic speaking to him, it was a bad decision. But the team has to get together and perform better, not only Andre and his decision, because what I saw was him doing his normal job.”
On to the Second Leg
With the possibility of winning just one of their three remaining competitions, they have to drag themselves to the end of the campaign. United play Lyon at Old Trafford next Thursday. “We did not start so well but then we corrected and we have control of the game and the facts are the facts,” said Amorim. “It is a draw, but we are learning with every game and I feel that we are going to come stronger in the end.”
