Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has been put in the spotlight by Jamie Carragher for ‘turning victories into draws and draws into defeats’.
Onana was chosen as Man Utd’s new goalkeeper over the summer to replace David de Gea, reuniting with his former Ajax coach Erik ten Hag as a result of his transfer from Inter Milan.
However, Onana has looked nervy at times and has committed some game-changing errors, which have led to question marks about his status as a regular starter and whether or not Man Utd made the right signing.
On Wednesday, Onana did not come out of a 3-3 draw with Galatasaray in the Champions League looking too convincing.
It has led to further pressure on the man who is comfortably Man Utd’s most expensive goalkeeper signing in history.
And according to Carragher, Onana will only become ‘more vulnerable’ the longer it takes him to rediscover his Inter form.
Carragher told the Daily Telegraph: “There is no hiding place for an out-of-form goalkeeper. Andre Onana may still have Erik ten Hag’s public support, but time and patience is not on his side.
“It is not sustainable for Manchester United to have a goalkeeper consistently making so many routine errors. The longer this continues, the more vulnerable he will become.”
The former Liverpool defender continued: “Great goalkeepers turn defeats into draws and draws into narrow victories, especially at the biggest clubs. For a team hunting the biggest trophies, the art of being a world-class keeper is to do the little you are required to do brilliantly well.
“Unfortunately for Onana, at the start of his United career he has been responsible for turning victories into draws, and draws into defeats.
“Unlike in the great United teams of the past, he has too much to do and the more he has to deal with the more likely it is that another mistake is in the post.”
Carragher ‘would not expect’ U18 keeper to make Onana mistake
In perhaps the most brutal acknowledgement of Onana’s struggles against Galatasaray, Carragher explained that it would have ended another goalkeeper’s chances at the club.
Carragher concluded: “The performance in Turkey was unacceptable for a Manchester United goalkeeper.
“You would not expect an under-18 keeper to make the basic handling error for Galatasaray’s second goal.
“If a youth keeper was promoted and played like Onana on Wednesday evening, he would probably never feature for the first team again.”
Onana will play for Man Utd again, though, as Ten Hag retains his faith in him.
Man Utd have the 27-year-old under contract until 2028, with the option of a further year.
