Manchester United legend Gary Neville once called it the most high-pressure role in English football.
One suspects former team-mate Peter Schmeichel knows where he is coming from.
Arguably the finest goalkeeper in Manchester United’s history spent eight years as the number one under Sir Alex Ferguson, departing on the highest of highs that was the fabled Treble of 1999.
That the Red Devils struggled for so many years attempting to fill that colossal void between the sticks is testament not only to just what a presence Schmeichel was at his peak, but what Neville was referring too when he said the role of the ‘Man United goalkeeper is the hardest position in English football’.
It is a role that belongs, these days, to Andre Onana.
It is a role Schmeichel feels the Cameroon international is settling into as well, having overcome the sort of scrutiny that also came the way of David de Gea during his early months wearing the gloves.
Peter Schmeichel impressed by Manchester United’s Andre Onana
For much of 2023/24, the argument surrounding Onana was whether his rather iffy shot-stopping was compensated sufficiently by his passing range, his ability to command his penalty area and claim the sort of crosses De Gea would often shy away from.
But, with every talismanic performance, Onana is proving that he can be a pretty elite shot-stopper himself, the £47 million signing from Inter Milan a far more rounded goalkeeper now than he was back in those error-strewn days of 2023.
“He has been better,” Schmeichel agrees. “He has settled in a lot better for sure. I think Onana looks more comfortable in the Manchester United goal now.”
The 1999 Champions League winner feels that the appointment of Jelle ten Rouwelaar as Man United’s new goalkeeping coach is likely to have had a big role in Onana’s recent improvement.
Fellow goalkeeper Tom Heaton hailed the impact of former Ajax coach Ten Rouwelaar during pre-season, the Dutchman bringing with him a very different perspective to predecessor Richard Hartis and an extra focus on on-the-ball work.
“I think one of the things that has happened is they have changed the goalkeeping coach,” adds Schmeichel, Ten Rouwelaar a coach very well suited to maximising Onana’s strengths. “[Ten Rouwelaar] is probably working more on his strengths and his way in the game.
“[Man United is] is still conceding, and he is part of the team. So it’s not where it should be.
“But, from where he started off, I think he has improved. I think he is giving his team a little bit more confidence so that they can commit more people forward, that he can clean up behind.
“Andre definitely looks more at ease with being the Man United goalkeeper and he has taken some of the big mistakes out of his game.
“And I think that is positive.”
Andre Onana may have saved Erik ten Hag’s job at United
The question on the lips of many Man United fans, after a worst-ever Premier League start and two successive draws in Europe, is where would they be right now without Andre Onana?
Tottenham Hotspur created nine big chances but scored only three at Old Trafford thanks to Onana’s heroics. Porto boss Vitor Bruno rued Onana’s brilliance again as Harry Maguire snatched a late draw on Thursday night, while Man United would have lost to Crystal Palace if not for their goalkeeper too.
Remarkably, despite how poor United have been in recent weeks, Onana still ranks joint-top of the Premier League’s Golden Glove charts with Liverpool’s Alisson Becker.
It remains to be seen, however, who will be standing in the touchline the next time Onana pulls on the Man United jersey.
Schmeichel feels that Thomas Tuchel ‘fits the bill’.
The former Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain boss is reportedly under consideration should Ineos decide to twist rather than stick with Erik ten Hag.
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