Andre Onana: Goalkeeper assumes accountability as Manchester United suffer defeat against Bayern Munich
Manchester United goalkeeper admits mistake in Bayern Munich loss
In a dramatic game against Bayern Munich, Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana takes the blame for their defeat, acknowledging that he let his team down.
The match started with discipline from United, but an unfortunate error by Onana gifted Bayern an early lead which they quickly doubled. Despite a flurry of goals and valiant efforts from United, they ultimately fell short and suffered a 4-3 loss.
Reflecting on his mistake, Onana stated, “This is the life of a goalkeeper. It’s difficult. We had such a good start before my error caused us to lose control of the game. I feel responsible for letting the team down.”
He further explained how up until that point, they were dominant on the ball and didn’t allow any chances for Bayern. However, his misjudgment changed everything and affected the team’s overall performance.
“If we didn’t win today it was because of me,” admitted Onana remorsefully. “I have learned from this experience and need to be stronger moving forward. My start at Manchester hasn’t been ideal; this was one of my worst games.”
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand echoed Onana’s sentiment about the crucial role played by his mistake in shaping the outcome of the match.
“All blame [for that goal] lays at his door,” Ferdinand commented while analyzing as a pundit on TNT Sports. He emphasized that it should have been an easy save for Onana and that it represents the overall defensive shortcomings United have faced this season.
Onana, who joined United for £47.2m in the summer after an impressive Champions League campaign with Inter Milan, has struggled at times behind a shaky defense. So far this season, he has conceded 14 goals in six games across all competitions.
Despite his costly error, Onana did make five saves during the game to prevent Bayern from running away with a bigger lead. However, manager Erik ten Hag believes accountability lies within the team as a whole rather than singling out one player for blame.
“It’s good that he takes responsibility,” Ten Hag stated when informed about Onana’s remarks. “Mistakes happen, but as a team, we need to bounce back together.”
Ten Hag acknowledged some positives from the match, highlighting United’s resilience in fighting back twice to give themselves hope of salvaging a point. However, their fragility ultimately led to their downfall.
“We are disappointed because we should have stayed in the game,” expressed Ten Hag. “When you score three goals against Bayern Munich, you expect to secure at least a draw.”
United now face Burnley next in a crucial Premier League fixture on Saturday evening. With recent results not going their way and luck seemingly against them, Ten Hag emphasized that they must take matters into their own hands and create opportunities for themselves through teamwork and determination.