Andre Onana may be the new kid on the block but he certainly isn’t shy in telling his new team-mates exactly what he thinks.
David De Gea’s replacement, signed by Manchester United for £43.9 million, is expected to bring a passing influence to a team that has consistently struggled with playing out from the back. But as well as contributing to Erik ten Hag’s style of play, it appears the goalkeeper is also holding his team-mates to account.
Onana was a substitute for the 3-2 Borussia Dortmund defeat, coming on at half-time and replacing Tom Heaton. And within three minutes he was called into action.
After producing a fine one-on-one save against Sebastian Haller, getting down low to his left, Onana was furious at his defence for allowing such an opportunity. Directing his anger at Harry Maguire in particular.
The Cameroonian was so incandescent with rage over the England international’s mistake he sprinted a good seven yards to give him a piece of his mind. Maguire didn’t have much of a response for his new team-mate’s screaming and soaked up his berating.
And the goalkeeper is right to moan. Despite the obvious absence of a striker, United’s attack has showed positive signs in pre-season. But in the last two games in particular the defence has been sloppy, full of mistakes and haphazard.
Despite the obvious quality in Jude Bellingham’s finish, the Real Madrid star simply ran through United’s defence to score the opener in the last friendly. And as class as Joselu’s finish was for his side’s second, there wasn’t a red defender near him at the back post. And those are separate to the number of chances Onana denied.
Against Dortmund, it was a similar theme. Despite United dominating the first-half for 41 minutes, they entered the break 2-1 down. Brandon Williams dived in to stop Karim Adeyemi but completely missed. The ball scrappily found its way to Donyell Malen who stroked home his finish past Heaton.
Only a minute later and Dortmund had a second. Victor Lindelof’s poor pass was intercepted by former United loanee Marcel Sabitzer. The Austrian found Malen who secured his brace and probably couldn’t believe his luck.
Given the implosion of United’s defence it would be safe to assume Ten Hag’s half-time team talk would have been largely focused on his back four. So when Onana found himself one-on-one with Haller less than three minutes into the second half it’s no wonder he lost his rag.
