Cameroon international André Onana has been left out of the squad for Manchester United’s upcoming Premier League clash, following intense scrutiny over his recent performances—most notably during Thursday’s 2-2 Europa League draw against Lyon.
Onana was heavily criticized for his role in both of Lyon’s goals, with many pointing to his errors as the decisive factor in the French side securing a draw. The performance added to a growing list of high-profile mistakes this season, fueling concerns about his reliability in goal.
According to club sources, the 29-year-old goalkeeper has been omitted from the matchday squad to allow him to “rest and disconnect.” The decision, however, is not permanent. Onana is expected to return for the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final tie against Lyon at Old Trafford on Thursday.
The timing of Onana’s poor showing was especially unfortunate, coming just a day after former United midfielder Nemanja Matic branded him “one of the worst goalkeepers” in the club’s history.
Despite mounting criticism, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has publicly backed his first-choice keeper. After the Lyon draw, Amorim acknowledged Onana’s struggles but emphasized that he himself had made more mistakes this season, standing by the Cameroonian amid growing pressure.
Onana, who joined from Inter Milan in 2023 for a fee of £47 million, has struggled to justify his price tag. While he has started every one of Manchester United’s 69 Premier League matches since arriving, his form has been consistently inconsistent. Since the beginning of last season, he has committed eight errors that have directly led to goals—more than any other goalkeeper currently playing in the Premier League.
His arrival marked the end of David de Gea’s long tenure at the club, a decision driven by former manager Erik ten Hag, who preferred Onana’s ball-playing abilities. However, Onana’s performances have often fallen short of expectations, with his latest mistake—a misjudged save on a relatively simple shot against Lyon—highlighting his ongoing struggles.
In his place, Turkey’s Altay Bayındır is expected to make his Premier League debut on Sunday. Bayındır, who has appeared only five times this season—all in domestic cup competitions—last featured for the team in January.
Off the pitch, Onana has also been dealing with personal issues. Last month, his wife, Melanie Kamayou, was reportedly robbed while exiting a restaurant in Cheshire, adding further strain to an already difficult season.
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s opponents on Sunday, Newcastle United, will also be without their manager Eddie Howe. The club announced that Howe had been admitted to hospital after feeling unwell for several days.
