Onana once looked like another Man Utd flop but is now one of Prem’s best keepers and making huge difference off pitch
FROM looking like just another expensive flop to one of the best goalkeepers in the Prem.
It has been some year for Andre Onana, arguably Manchester United’s most improved player.
In fact, Onana is leading the race for the Golden Glove with five clean sheets in 12 Prem games this season,.
This is one more than Liverpool’s Alisson, Everton’s Jordan Pickford, Arsenal’s David Raya and Nottingham Forest stopper Matz Sels.
Although Onana, 28, saw Ipswich’s Omari Hutchinson find a way past him to level in Sunday’s 1-1 draw, Ruben Amorim would have been staring at defeat in his first game as United boss but for his keeper.
The Cameroonian made two brilliant saves to deny Liam Delap.
At one time you only needed to get it on target to beat Onana, signed in a £47.2million deal.
He arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2023 with a big reputation having just reached the Champions League final with Inter Milan, losing 1-0 to Manchester City.
But eyebrows were already being raised in pre-season when he called out former skipper Harry Maguire after conceding a goal in a friendly with Borussia Dortmund in Las Vegas.
United were quickly looking like they had gambled and lost, having let David de Gea leave when his deal ran out.
FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS
In Onana’s first outing at Old Trafford in a pre-season game against French club Lens he was lobbed from 50 yards.
Then in the opening match of that Prem season he was very lucky not to concede a late penalty after clearing out Wolves’ Sasa Kalajdzic.
The next month Onana allowed a weak shot from Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane to crawl under him in a 4-3 Champions League defeat in Germany.
He was recruited for his distribution skills as well as his shot-stopping but a hospital pass to Casemiro led to a red card for the Brazilian in a 3-2 home defeat to Galatasaray.
He conceded two savable free-kicks in the 3-3 return against the Turkish side, having let another shot squirm under his body against Brentford.
Onana admitted he found the switch to a different country, league and team a problem at first.
But United fans would eventually see why Erik ten Hag signed his former Ajax No 1.
By the end of his debut campaign he had made more saves than any other keeper in the Premier League with 149.
United are a lowly 12th now after the Portman Road draw but Onana boasts the most league shut-outs.
He looks more like an athlete than when he arrived and has grown into someone United can rely on.
Onana has been achieving things off the field, too — yesterday the international players’ union Fifpro gave him the Player Impact Award.
That is for setting up the Andre Onana Foundation, which provides free medical care and surgeries for underprivileged children and adults in his native Cameroon and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
Doctors have performed more than 1,200 operations since 2021.
The foundation also provides schools for orphans.
Onana said: “The foundation means a lot to me. It makes me see things differently.
“You see people who have nothing, yet they look happier than people who have everything.
“They didn’t want to be in that position but destiny made it that way and they are making the best out of that situation.”
Man Utd ratings vs Ipswich as Onana saves Amorim from embarrassment in first game as boss
MANCHESTER UNITED began the Ruben Amorim era with a 1-1 draw away at Ipswich.
Marcus Rashford needed just 81 seconds to put the Red Devils in front at Portman Road, tapping home an Amad Diallo cross.
But Ipswich hit back when Omari Hutchinson’s strike flew in via a deflection off Noussair Mazraoui.
And it was the newly-promoted side who looked likelier to get a winner in the second half.
Here is how SunSport’s Charlie Wyett saw the performances of the Man Utd players…
ANDRE ONANA – 7/10
United’s best player. Two key stops to deny Liam Delap but no chance for the deflected Omari Hutchinson goal.
Then delivered an 87th minute save to keep out an effort from Conor Chaplin.
NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 5
Slotted in on the right of the three-man defence but unfortunate with the deflection for the goal.
MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 5
Has been suspect this season and will probably be better suited to a back three although still given a tough time by Delap.
JONNY EVANS – 5
The 36-year-old was targeted by Ipswich for his lack of pace and no surprise he was replaced.
AMAD DIALLO – 6
Did incredibly well to bomb past Jens Cajuste and deliver the cross for Rashford’s early goal but offered little else.
CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN – 5
Some nice touches going forward but too lightweight in this position in front of the back three.
CASEMIRO – 4
Lucky to start ahead of Manuel Ugarte and was really poor.
Struggled throughout before being subbed and could maybe have got a block to the Hutchinson shot.
DIOGO DALOT – 5
Not suited to left wing-back although stayed there when Luke Shaw arrived because the English international replaced Evans in the back three.
BRUNO FERNANDES – 5
Some of his link-up play was fine but United need a captain who can inspire this team and Fernandes is not the man.
Sent a free-kick flashing past the post with 12 minutes left.
ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 5
Twice called over by Ruben Amorim in the first half for instructions.
Denied by a decent save from Aro Muric 50 seconds into the second half.
MARCUS RASHFORD – 6
Criticised for his basketball trip to New York so to score after 80 seconds was two fingers up at his critics – but did not offer much after that.
Subs
Ugarte (for Casemiro 56 mins) – 6
Shaw (for Evans 56 mins) – 6
Hojlund (for Rashford 67 mins) – 5
Zirkzee ( for Eriksen 67 mins) – 5
Mount (for Garnacho 87 mins) – 5