By Nurudeen Obalola
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has confirmed that Andre Onana will be in goal when the Red Devils host Lyon in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final tie on Thursday night.
Onana was left out of the Manchester United squad for the English Premier League defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday after his two errors in the 2-2 draw in Lyon last Thursday.
While speaking during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Amorim responded in the affirmative when asked if Onana would start in goal.
“Onana, he will play tomorrow,” Amorim said, then explained the club’s goalkeeper situation.
“As a coach and former player first of all I try to do things that can help a player in this situation. We speak about managing players physically but we also have to manage them also mentally.
“We had one weekend where I felt it was better for Andre Onana not to play and a good thing for Altay [Bayindir] to play.”
Amorim added that he had a conversation with Onana before dropping the Cameroon international, who is in his second season at Manchester United.
“When I made that decision last weekend I talked before with Andre. That is important for me to explain to the player what I am thinking,” the Portuguese coach said.
“Sometimes it is my feelings as a coach that can make my decision more than what they are saying to me. I have the conversation but then it is my decision in the end.”
When asked whether he is convinced Onana is ready to return, Amorim said: “Yeah, I have that feeling for sure. The team is the most important thing.
“I’m not putting Andre because I think Andre deserves to return to competition, I’m thinking about the game because it is really important for us.”
Onana, 29, has committed several high-profile errors since his switch from Inter Milan in the summer of 2023, and there are reports Manchester United will look to move him on at the end of this season.
Amorim did not give a direct answer when he was asked about getting a new goalkeeper for next season.
He said: “Everything you do has two ways. If in the end he is going to be really good tomorrow – I’m sure of that – it is a good decision but the other way and it is a bad decision.
“You never know. I’m trying to be really clear on things, make the evaluation, be simple and not overthink it. Andre Onana has one weekend where he rests and now he is ready to start this game.
“We need to improve. What we should do is improve any position in the team with the players we have and try to bring characteristics for next year.
“You choose the questions I choose the answer. My answer is that we need to improve every position in the field. Goalkeeper is the same, we can work with Andre.
“If our team scores more goals and is more dangerous in forward [positions] we will defend better. Andre Onana has already proved he is a top player in Inter. So he has a pass. Sometimes you have some seasons that we are under performing.
“We are going to make that evaluation for any position in the squad. If we are talking about mistakes you can see my record – my record is the worst one in our team and I am also underperforming. I think I am the right guy to coach the team and I think the same for Andre.”
Onana’s teammate Harry Maguire, who also spoke at the press conference, came to the defence of the goalkeeper.
“First and foremost Andre has proved in his past that he is an excellent goalkeeper. He has won numerous trophies, he has played Champions League finals,” Maguire, who was once one of the most criticised players in Europe, said.
“During a career you always have spells of ups and downs and you find yourself a little bit out of form. It is about how you build yourself back in and find that confidence to perform again.
“At the moment he is probably feeling that everything is going against him. You take it game-by-game. He’ll be there tomorrow night and he is a big personality, a big character and he will be looking forward to the game. He will want to show everyone again what he is about.
“Playing in front of Andre it’s great. I have confidence in Andre, he has had a fantastic career. He has great experience and we all know he is an excellent goalkeeper.”
Meanwhile, Amorim announced that Joshua Zirkzee will miss the rest of the campaign after the forward sustained a hamstring injury during Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at Newcastle.
