Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster has cast doubt on Andre Onana’s ability to overcome his current struggles between the posts, describing the Cameroonian’s situation as mentally draining.
Onana was dropped from the starting lineup for Manchester United’s Premier League defeat at Newcastle on Sunday, just days after being blamed for both goals conceded in the 2-2 draw with Lyon in the first leg of their Europa League quarterfinal clash.
Amorim stated that the decision was made to alleviate pressure on Onana, who has faced intense scrutiny over his performances.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Foster—who made over 300 professional appearances in English football—explained that recovering from a difficult run of form is far from straightforward, particularly for goalkeepers under intense pressure.
Foster emphasized the importance of self-belief, saying goalkeepers thrive when entering games with confidence and the conviction that they can help their team.
“You can’t (recover that quickly). It’s a horrible place to be and I’ve been in it so many times throughout my career.
“You’re struggling mentally and the only thing you can think of is, ‘Don’t make a mistake.’ And it’s the worst way to go into games.
“If you can go into games with big confidence, positivity, knowing that you’re going to help your team out, then you’re on a great setting to start the game.
“But when you’re thinking negatively and pessimistically, it’s a really bad place to be, but I think Onana has been a little bit like that all season really.
“I see some of the mistakes that he’s made and some of the saves that he makes, he seems to me like he’s a little bit stressed when it comes to the big moments.”
Onana, who joined United from Inter Milan last summer, has faced scrutiny for inconsistent performances in both domestic and European competitions.
Despite his shot-stopping ability, his decision-making and distribution have come under the microscope in recent weeks.
