Somehow, Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace felt like both a game Manchester United really should have won and also a game they were maybe lucky not to lose.
Of course, the reason behind both of those emotions was largely those men between the sticks.
While Dean Henderson was unbeatable at one end – the former Manchester United goalkeeper certainly didn’t miss a chance to get one over on his old employers – the Red Devils’ current number one then came to the visitor’s rescue at the other end as Andre Onana emulated David Raya’s Arsenal heroics with a phenomenal double save.
While Onana has come in for plenty of criticism with regards to his shot-stopping qualities since arriving from Inter Milan back in 2023, his denial of Eddie Nketiah and then an onrushing Ismaila Sarr within the space of just a few seconds was a moment David de Gea, Edwin van der Sar and Peter Schmeichel would have been proud of.
So although Man United really should have had all three points wrapped up before the interval, it was thanks to an ‘unbelievable’ Onana performance which had Erik ten Hag purring that they travelled back up north with something to show for their efforts.
Oliver Glasner lauds Manchester United’s ‘unbelievable’ Andre Onana
That Liverpool aberration aside, this Red Devils side appears to have improved massively from last season when it comes to keeping the opposition attack at arm’s length.
Onana’s double save accounted for half of the shots Palace managed on target.
Furthermore, Man United have now kept clean sheets in three successive games for the first time since January 2023.
“[Securing a] clean sheet is not the tactical behaviours of the teams,” Glasner said during his post-match press conference: “Unbelievable saves from both goalkeepers.”
“I think in the end it was [a good point]. We missed a couple of key opportunities,” adds Henderson, who left Old Trafford for an initial £15 million back in 2023.
“There was one in the second half where we could have scrambled the ball over the line. Andre Onana made a great save and we were unlucky in the end.
“I think it was certainly a game of two halves. After the first-half, we will take the point and be delighted with it.”
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Crystal Palace boss highlights quality of seven Red Devils
Ten Hag, in the build-up to Saturday’s late kick-off, highlighted the strength in depth at Man United’s disposal compared to their last trip to Selhurst Park.
Man United were forced to start Aaron Wan-Bissaka at left-back with Jonny Evans and a disastrous Casemiro display at centre-half in that 4-0 capitulation in South London, Ten Hag pointing out that he seldom had more than 11 first-teamers available at any one time.
In stark contrast, Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez appear to be striking up a formidable partnership these days.
The United boss also had the luxury of resting one of his most in-form players – despite Ten Hag’s praise for a ‘brilliant’ Marcus Rashford performance against Barnsley in midweek – while introducing Manuel Ugarte and the returning Rasmus Hojlund late on.
“When you have an Argentinian international with [Alejandro] Garnacho and you can bring him in, when you have [Joshua] Zirkzee and you have Hojlund, you have [Amad] Diallo.
“You have [Kobbie] Mainoo, [Christian] Eriksen, [Bruno] Fernandes, it is just a team of many quality players.
“I think, when Crystal Palace play Manchester United, there are always times and minutes where Crystal Palace has to suffer.”
United will hope to get back to winning ways against FC Twente in the Europa League on Thursday, before hosting Tottenham Hotspur next weekend.
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