In July, Manchester United signed André Onana from Inter Milan for £47.2m to replace the club’s four-time Player of the Year, David de Gea.
Despite high expectations, the Cameroon international had a rocky start, including being chipped from 50 yards on his Old Trafford debut against Lens and making several errors that affected United’s Premier League performance and led to their Champions League group-stage exit.
Onana’s form only began to stabilize after his return from the Africa Cup of Nations in February. While he’s still prone to occasional mistakes, he’s now seen as a reliable member of Erik ten Hag’s squad as they prepare for Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Reflecting on his initial struggles, Onana said, “I arrived as the best goalkeeper in the world and ‘boom’ it went down. It was like ‘what happened?’ But that is how difficult football is sometimes. It depends if you want to stay down there or stand up and fight. I know what I did to arrive here. I know who I am. I decided to stand up and fight.”
Onana cited Marcus Rashford’s fluctuating form as an example of the need for resilience. Rashford scored 30 goals last season but has only managed eight this term, missing out on Gareth Southgate’s provisional England squad for the European Championship. “We are talking about the same player,” said Onana. “So now he’s a bad player? No. You can have a bad season or a bad start but the most important thing is how you end. Rashy, for me, is one of the best players in the world. But he is facing difficulty. It’s not only him and me but the whole club. But he will come back. I know my killer will score some important goals for us. Hopefully against City he will score two and we win the FA Cup.”
Concerns among United fans about facing Manchester City again stem from the number of chances their team concedes. Between March and April, United allowed at least 20 shots per match for seven consecutive games. In their last match against City in March, United had just three shots compared to City’s 27 in a 3-1 defeat.
Onana attributes these issues to the constant changes in the defensive lineup. The pairing of Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez at Brighton on May 19 was United’s 15th different central defensive combination of the season, with no partnership starting more than four consecutive games. “I don’t mind facing 20 or 30 shots,” said Onana. “I am very happy with what my team-mates are doing because a lot of them make sacrifices for the team. It would be nice to have everyone back but what can we do? Hide? We are a big club. We have to go on the front foot and deal with difficulties. I am positive. I know things will get better. If not today, tomorrow.”
Onana does not dwell on the odds favoring City to repeat their FA Cup triumph of last year, when United conceded the fastest goal in final history after just 12 seconds. He was part of the Inter Milan side that gave City a tough match in the Champions League final, losing only to Rodri’s goal.
Saturday’s final is crucial for Ten Hag, whose future at United is uncertain. Onana, who worked with Ten Hag at Ajax, said, “I’m not here to back him because he’s big enough to back himself. But he’s a really good guy, a positive coach and tactically he is good. If he had all his squad together, it would probably be different for him, for us, the club, and the fans. We know how good City are. They are the best team at the moment and we lost twice to them already. But we are motivated. Beating them wouldn’t make it a successful season. Playing for this club, I don’t think winning the FA Cup is enough. But it would make things look better. We go there to win.”
