Erik ten Hag to stick by André Onana in crucial final Champions League tie
Erik ten Hag has said André Onana will not be dropped for Manchester United’s crucial final Champions League group game against Bayern Munich and claimed his beleaguered goalkeeper is the Premier League’s second best, citing “expected prevented goals”.
Onana again made crucial errors in Wednesday’s 3-3 draw at Galatasaray in the penultimate group match, being at fault for two of the goals. This followed mistakes that cost goals against Bayern Munich and Copenhagen in the competition.
Ten Hag insisted Onana was not undroppable but said: “If you analyse it well then you see he is the secondbest goalkeeper in the Premier League based on stats – his expected prevented goals is second-best. He’s doing well but he knows that in the Champions League he has made some mistakes, but overall in the first five months [since signing] he has done well.”
Luton’s Thomas Kaminski leads the prevented goals rankings with 6.3, and Onana is second with 3.7. Given Ten Hag’s acceptance that Onana has made errors in the Champions League, he was asked whether the No 1 would be dropped for United’s game at home to Bayern, which they must win to have a chance of progressing to the knockout phase, and the deputy Altay Bayindir play.
“No, it is obvious – he has the potential,” Ten Hag said of Onana. “Players always need trust.” It was suggested leaving Onana out might aid him. “It won’t help,” the manager said. “I have trust in Tom [Heaton, another deputy] and Altay, clear, [but] in the Champions League, he has so much experience with Ajax and last year with Inter Milan.
“He has the potential, so we have to work on him so he does it consistently. The manager, coaches and players all support him. Nobody is undroppable, that is also clear. We have a strong belief that he will help us win trophies.”
Ten Hag may lose Onana for several weeks from January if the 27-year-old is selected by Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations. “When they call him, he has to go, but we are in talks,” Ten Hag said, without specifying whether the talks were with Cameroon, Onana or both. Onana is concerned he could lose his United place if he goes to Afcon. Under Fifa rules a player who has not renounced their national team is ineligible to represent their club during the mandatory release period if they refuse a call-up, unless otherwise agreed by the national association.
Mason Mount is back in training after injury but is not available for Saturday’s trip to Newcastle. Donny van de Beek, who has made two substitute appearances this season, could depart in January. “I can see he has to play for his career,” Ten Hag said.