Andre Onana is earning Simon Jordan’s backing despite another dismal night in the Champions League as Manchester United threw away a two-goal lead twice against Galatasaray.
If Andre Onana’s impressive recent performances against the likes of Everton and Copenhagen felt like a big step in the right direction, then his Istanbul nightmare served to undo all that good work in the space of just 90 minutes.
After high-profile blunders against Bayern Munich and at home to Galatasaray, Onana was almost solely responsible for the death of Manchester United’s Champions League hopes in the Turkish capital.
Not that Simon Jordan, the former Crystal Palace chairman, is ready to throw in the towel with a man who set United back a cool £47 million last summer.
Andre Onana endures Galatasaray nightmare
“You cannot suggest to me that David de Gea covered himself in glory in his first season. There was this constant criticism of him, and we are talking about De Gea being brought back in?” Jordan argues, speaking to talkSPORT (30 November, 10am) amid suggestions that the free-agent Spaniard should be re-signed by the Red Devils.
“This guy (Onana) came in with a great reputation. He’s made plenty of saves. He saved them against Copenhagen. Goalkeepers do make mistakes. Players on the field make mistakes. They give away penalties, miss open goals, midfielders make bad challenges.”
Jordan believes that Onana’s United team-mates should do their bit to carry the burden, the likes of Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka also enduring difficult nights in Turkey.
De Gea return dismissed
“If the defence in front of you continues to expose you, goalkeepers will make the same percentage of mistakes. Man United aren’t making mistakes simply because of the goalkeeper,” Jordan adds.
“This goalkeeper a year ago (at Inter Milan) was absolutely at the top of his game. Perceived, if not the best in the world, then close to it. This United side got beat seven (when De Gea was still there against Liverpool).
“That was nothing to do with this goalkeeper.”
If we are to play devil’s advocate for a moment, however, De Gea was still a teenager when he joined Man United over a decade ago. Onana is 27, and arrived on the back of a superb performance in last season’s Champions League final. Who can blame United supporters for expecting – and demanding – a little better?
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