‘I had a difficult moment’ Andre Onana spoke in the mixed zone following Man United’s goalless draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park
Onana’s double save was world-class.
Sir Alex Ferguson once said that a great goalkeeper is worth 15 points throughout a season.
Manchester United have a great shot stopper with Andre Onana and his double save in the second half against Crystal Palace on Saturday evening was a truly world-class moment.
The spring and strong left hand to save Eddie Nketiah’s shot from the edge of the box. The athleticism and quality to instinctively get up from the ground and make another save.
It all happened so quickly in real-time and it appeared like Ismaïla Sarr had fired the follow-up wide, but the replays in the press box confirmed Onana had somehow risen from the deck to make an exceptional double save and that intervention ensured the points were shared.
Onana’s shot-stopping has been questioned since he signed from Inter Milan in a deal worth €55million (£47.2m) but he delivered when his teammates needed him at Selhurst Park.
Without Onana, Palace would have taken the lead with 20 minutes to play and United would have flown back to Manchester with more than a bitter taste in their mouths.
Naturally, the players looked deflated not to have won the match as they stood and waited to leave Selhurst Park after the final whistle – the mixed zone where journalists stand is opposite the away dressing room – but it could have been worse if Onana hadn’t made his double save.
“We are disappointed,” said Onana to a handful of journalists 20 minutes after the game. “We are such a big club and everywhere we go we have the ambition to win. I think we’re better than them, we had the best chances in the game and now we have to move on stay positive.”
Onana modestly admitted his double save was “an important moment” when it was said to him that it was a world-class intervention and he continued: “But the most important thing was the victory because we didn’t win today, so it’s tough after having so many chances.
Onana’s saves were exceptional.
“When I see the quality in front, it’s very painful for me, but I’m happy for the willingness of the team, we had more control, we were better than them and had better chances.
“I know in football sometimes the ball doesn’t go through [into the net], like today, so hopefully my guys will score like they did in the last couple of games [in the coming fixtures].”
Onana was asked to explain how he prepares to make such saves. Does he make them through instinct? Are there specific training drills that help? How can you practice to pull it off?
“It’s confidence,” he replied. “You just believe in yourself and things will turn because I said this last year when I started here because I had a difficult start. Football is momentum.
“I had difficulty in the first six months at the club and after I turned around my situation. So it’s just believing in yourself and following the flow now everything is going positive.”
Onana has been refreshingly open about how he struggled when he first arrived in Manchester but he turned a corner last winter and ended last season with a flourish. He has proven himself to be an excellent operator, despite the feeling that there’s more to come from him.
The No.1 role at United is one of the most scrutinised jobs in football and Onana has gradually got to grips with the pressure, looking more comfortable than he did in his first months.
Onana’s double save at Selhurst Park was perhaps his finest moment since signing from Inter Milan and he played his part in helping United to record another clean sheet.
United’s players waited to leave the ground.
United have kept four clean sheets in their last six Premier League matches and that’s more than they had kept in the previous 24, so there are signs of progress for Erik ten Hag’s side.
Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui mobbed Onana to celebrate his double save and there is a clear understanding developing across that settled back four.
De Ligt almost opened the scoring with a header from the corner in the first half and he has impressed since coming into the starting team. “He’s a good player, a fantastic player, and I’m happy to play with him, although I’m happy to play with all of my guys,” said Onana about De Ligt.
“We have a lot of players who are back. Victor [Lindelof] and Malacia are back, so now we are waiting for…. Luke [Shaw], also Harry [Maguire] who is an important player for us.
“So for me it doesn’t matter who I play with because the team is the most important thing. Sometimes, like in the games last year, we had Bruno at centre-back and it was tough for us.”
United have Tottenham at home next in the league and will be hopeful of recording another clean sheet. Onana saved them a point against Palace and will be decisive again this season.
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