Manchester United goalkeeper André Onana, often scrutinized for his performances, received high praise from club legend Rio Ferdinand following his standout display against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, despite the team’s 3-0 loss in the Premier League.
In what was a challenging afternoon for Manchester United, Onana produced a stellar performance, making seven crucial saves, five of which were in the penalty area.
His efforts, though unable to prevent a comprehensive defeat, were crucial in minimizing the damage against an aggressive Tottenham side.
The Cameroonian international, who has 42 caps for his country, appears to be finding his stride this season after a difficult debut campaign in England.
His performance against Spurs highlighted his growing confidence, as he thwarted multiple attempts that could have seen United suffer an even heavier loss.
Onana’s agility and decision-making in goal drew particular attention during the encounter, with his saves keeping the scoreline from becoming more lopsided.
Manchester United’s former defender Rio Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel, commended Onana’s contribution.
“Do you know who I have to pay tribute to, who I criticized a lot last season? Onana. Without him, we would have conceded six or seven goals today,” said Ferdinand.
His remarks underscored the goalkeeper’s vital role in preventing an even more embarrassing defeat for the Red Devils.
Ferdinand, known for his candid opinions, acknowledged the improvements in Onana’s game this season. “Onana has been good this season, he has progressed, he has made big saves.
Yes, there have been strange things here and there, but he has been what you wanted to see,” the former Manchester United center-back added.
He expressed that Onana’s performances this season are living up to the high expectations set when he joined from Inter Milan.
Despite conceding three goals, Ferdinand was quick to absolve Onana of any responsibility for the defeat, suggesting that the scoreline would have been much worse without the keeper’s intervention.
“He is the only one today who comes out of the match with a certain credit, a certain number of positive points. He can leave with his head held high,” Ferdinand continued.
However, the ex-United defender also acknowledged the emotional toll the defeat would likely have on the goalkeeper, saying, “He will not do it because he will be sitting there, injured, he has conceded three goals. But he was not at fault for any of the goals, he allowed us to stay in the game.”
Onana’s solid performance, despite the disappointing result, will no doubt provide him with a confidence boost as he continues to establish himself as a key figure in United’s defense.
The former Inter Milan player has been under pressure since his arrival, but performances like Sunday’s will help in silencing some of his critics and reinforcing his position as Manchester United’s number one.
🔴 Rio Ferdinand sur sa chaîne YouTube :
« Savez-vous à qui je dois rendre hommage, à qui j’ai beaucoup reproché la saison dernière ? Onana. Sans lui, on allait encaisser à six ou sept buts aujourd’hui. Onana a été bon cette saison, il a progressé, il a fait de gros arrêts. Oui,… pic.twitter.com/TOJwj0op2J
— AllezLesLions (@AllezLesLions) September 30, 2024
