Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onan was axed against Newcastle United as doubts grow over his Old Trafford future.
If any Manchester United player needed a big performance against Lyon last week, it was Andre Onana.
Onana clashed with Nemanja Matic before the game as the stopper exchanged barbs with the former United midfielder.
The Cameroonian really needed to turn up with a strong display and back up his words in the back-and-forth with Matic.
Instead, Onana struggled against Lyon and allowed two soft goals as United drew 2-2 with Lyon in France.
Ruben Amorim dropped Onana from the United squad against Newcastle United on Sunday, but replacement Altay Bayindir struggled in a 4-1 defeat.
Ben Foster shares theory on Andre Onana
Onana will return to the United side against Lyon on Thursday night and will hope for a brilliant second leg display after such a shaky first leg.
This situation has raised question marks around Onana’s long-term future, though.
Onana is wanted in Saudi Arabia, and United may be tempted to cash in if he doesn’t find his form again soon.
Former United goalkeeper Ben Foster has now offered his verdict on Onana’s struggles – and shared an interesting theory.
Speaking on The Football Fill-In, Foster suggested that Onana’s form has been impacted by not being as ‘busy’.
Onana’s role at Inter Milan saw him playing high and spreading passes all over the park.
Gary Neville has been frustrated with Onana in possession, but mostly because he is now waiting for something to happen rather than showing off his passing range.
Foster agrees, believing that Onana needs to ‘keep his brain occupied’ by being higher up the pitch and more involved on the ball.
Foster added that Onana is panicking too much when shots come his way, believing that he needs a relaxed intensity to his game, which may only come by changing his role in possession, too.
“I’ve got a little bit of a theory for you,” said Foster.
“Onana is really struggling at this moment in time, and some of the mistakes he’s made this season, I think, have come about from… take it back to when he signed, remember when he first signed for Manchester United and he was this front-footed goalkeeper who would play 50 yards out.
“He got scored past in a pre-season game, straight away. He signed for United and got scored past from the halfway line.
“Very quickly, he kind of went ‘hmm, I don’t know if I’m gonna get away with this in the Premier League’, I might have to [drop back], so he’s lost that part of his game.
“I think a big part of Onana’s game was being busy, was being out there and being part of it. When you play for Manchester United, you know you’re not necessarily going to have a million things to do – well, actually, you probably will do at this moment in time.
“I think he needs that… being busy to keep his brain occupied. It’s very difficult for some goalkeepers to be able to just stop, not do anything, not touch the ball for 10-15 minutes at a time and then all of a sudden be asked to make a massive save. It’s a really big skill.
“I don’t think Onana’s got that ability. I think, when the big moments come, when the shots come, where he needs to be calm but focused at the same time, he needs that intensity but relaxed with it. I don’t think he’s got it, I think he panics too much, I think he stresses too much,” he added.
Manchester United are eyeing other goalkeepers
Onana’s future is far from secure, and United have been linked with other goalkeepers.
Bart Verbruggen has been heavily linked with United, and the Brighton and Hove Albion stopper would certainly be seen as a first-choice goalkeeper.
Southampton’s Aaron Ramsdale has been touted for United after suffering relegation to the Championship with the Saints.
Preston North End’s Freddie Woodman is on United’s radar, but may be viewed as more of a backup stopper.
United are clearly doing real homework on potential goalkeeping additions, leaving Onana with just a few weeks to find his form before a summer of transfer rumours.
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