Andre Onana faces a crucial Europa League match against Lyon after a shaky performance in the first leg and being dropped for the subsequent Premier League game

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]ndre Onana faces a potentially career-defining match for Manchester United against Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday, as the club fights to keep their season alive.

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The Cameroonian goalkeeper courted controversy ahead of the quarter-final first leg in France, which ended 2-2, by confidently stating that United were “way better” than Lyon.

This prompted a sharp response from former United midfielder Nemanja Matic, now playing for Lyon, who described Onana as “one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United’s history”.

Onana endured a hostile reception from Lyon fans, and his words seemed to backfire as he was culpable for both goals United conceded in the first leg.

Adding to the scrutiny, United manager Ruben Amorim dropped Onana for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Newcastle, opting for backup goalkeeper Altay Bayindir. However, United suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat, with Bayindir also at fault for Newcastle’s fourth goal.

Amorim now faces a critical decision: reinstate Onana for the crucial second leg or stick with Bayindir. The stakes are incredibly high for Manchester United.

A defeat at Old Trafford would effectively signal the end of their season, leaving them with little to play for in a disappointing Premier League campaign.

Conversely, a victory would keep their hopes of winning the Europa League alive, offering a potential pathway to the lucrative Champions League next season.

Manchester United, then under Erik ten Hag, invested around £47 million to acquire Onana from Inter Milan in 2023, viewing him as the long-term successor to David de Gea. Ten Hag, who had previously worked with Onana at Ajax, lauded his ball-playing abilities.

While the 29-year-old has showcased moments of brilliance with his shot-stopping and occasional composure with the ball at his feet, his tenure at Old Trafford has been marred by inconsistency and an increasing reputation for costly errors.

According to Opta statistics prior to the latest round of matches, Onana had committed the most errors leading directly to goals across all competitions (eight) among Premier League goalkeepers since the start of last season.

This is further compounded by the strong performances of former United goalkeeper David de Gea, now excelling for Fiorentina after being allowed to leave on a free transfer.

Despite the criticism, Amorim defended Onana after the draw in Lyon and explained his decision to bench him against Newcastle.

“Sometimes you have to push the player to play again, sometimes you have to let them disconnect a little bit, but (on Monday) he is going to be in training to prepare for the next one,” Amorim told Sky Sports. “I felt it was a good time for Andre to disconnect.”

He added, “So it was a normal situation. You have to manage everything and sometimes people just look at the physical aspect, but the mental aspect is really, really important.” The situation surrounding Onana is complex.

While he holds the unfavorable record of the worst minutes-per-goal-conceded ratio for a United goalkeeper with over 10 Premier League appearances, Opta data also indicated last week that he had prevented 7.5 goals based on their expected goals model since the start of the 2023/24 season, a figure bettered only by Everton’s Jordan Pickford (8.7).

Regardless of the statistical nuances, the importance of Thursday’s match at Old Trafford is undeniable. Manchester United currently languish in a disappointing 14th position in the Premier League with only six games remaining, and could potentially slip further down the table. This represents their lowest standing in the league since their relegation in the 1973/74 season.

Amorim still has the opportunity to salvage United’s turbulent season with a European trophy, which could prove to be a significant turning point as he aims to rebuild the team.

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However, whether Andre Onana remains a key figure in his plans, both in the immediate future and in the long term, remains a significant question mark.