Despite Man Utd late victory over Brentford, the club’s season continues to disappoint, raising questions about their performance under manager Erik ten Hag, particularly regarding goalkeeper Andre Onana.
The dramatic win did little to quell concerns, as Man Utd second season under Erik ten Hag has been underwhelming. The team has suffered multiple losses, including several at home, and is in danger of falling behind in the Premier League.
Upon their return from the international break, Man Utd will face Sheffield United, where nothing less than a victory will suffice, given their injury woes and ongoing issues in defense and with the goalkeeper.
Gary Neville’s Major Concerns:
Former Man Utd player Gary Neville believes that his former club is “way off” finishing in the top five of the Premier League this season due to their poor start to the campaign. Despite avoiding defeat narrowly over the weekend, serious doubts persist. The team has already lost four of its eight league matches and suffered two losses in the Champions League. Man Utd was expected to build on last season’s promising performance but appears to have regressed.
Neville shared his views on the Gary Neville Podcast, stating: “I don’t think Manchester United will finish in the top five this season. I think they are way off it. And I’m surprised because seven or eight weeks ago, I had them third.”
Andre Onana Criticized for Latest Error:
Goalkeeper Andre Onana faced criticism after failing to stop a shot from Mathias Jensen during Man Utd’s match against Brentford. Garth Crooks, a former Tottenham striker, harshly criticized Onana for his inability to keep out the relatively weak shot, which allowed the visitors to take a 1-0 lead. Onana’s performance has come under scrutiny due to a series of notable errors since joining the club.
Crooks wrote in his BBC Sport column: “It’s hard enough trying to win matches when your goalkeeper is in good form, but when he’s making errors almost on a weekly basis, it makes life very difficult for all concerned. Especially when you’ve had Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar, and David de Gea keeping goal for you during the past 20 years, it becomes very conspicuous when you have a goalkeeper who is not in their class.
In fact, Andre Onana is not even on their planet. Since the arrival of the Manchester United keeper, he’s been either smashing into center-forwards, letting the ball slip through his fingers, or, as was the case against Brentford, beaten by a shot a schoolboy would have been expected to save.”
Peter Schmeichel Questions Ten Hag’s Approach to McTominay:
Peter Schmeichel expressed confusion over Erik ten Hag’s approach to Scott McTominay following the midfielder’s game-winning brace against Brentford. McTominay came on as a substitute and secured a 2-1 victory with his late heroics.
This marked a significant turn of events for the academy graduate, who was previously linked with a move away from Manchester United, with interest from Premier League rivals West Ham and Bayern Munich. Ten Hag admitted wanting to keep McTominay but did not dispute that Manchester United would have been open to selling him.
