Erik ten Hag’s choice to substitute David De Gea with Andre Onana has come under scrutiny due to the goalkeeper’s error-prone performances.
Onana, who arrived for a hefty £48 million ($62 million) from Inter, has struggled to make a positive impression and has been responsible for several costly mistakes. His recent blunders were evident as the Red Devils suffered a 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League.
Ten Hag has expressed his intention to have a conversation with Onana following his latest disappointing display.
Meanwhile, former Manchester United player Lee Sharpe believes that Ten Hag’s decision to switch goalkeepers may lead to questions being raised.
“I know De Gea took a lot of criticism for some of the mistakes that he was making but he was also, up until last year, the players’ player of the year and the supporters’ player of the year for three years in a row, so he was an incredible goalkeeper. I think the way they brought Onana in and ushered him out of the door was a little bit amateur as well,” he told AGamble.com.
“I think there’s probably a few people that are questioning the decision, and it’s only natural when the replacement comes in and makes more mistakes than the guy that has gone out; you’ve got to question if the recruitment team has made the right decision, and at the moment it’s very dubious if they have.”
Onana’s performances have played a part in Manchester United’s troubling start to the Premier League season, marking their poorest beginning in 34 years.
Furthermore, the Red Devils find themselves in a precarious situation in the Champions League, having suffered defeat in their initial two group stage matches, conceding a total of seven goals in just two games. This places them at the bottom of Group A in the competition.
Looking ahead, Manchester United is set to return to Premier League action on Saturday when they face Brentford at their home ground, Old Trafford.