Daijiworld Media Network - Manchester
Manchester, Apr 16: Manchester United head coach Rúben Amorim has confirmed that goalkeeper André Onana will return to the starting XI for the upcoming clash against Lyon, following his absence in the 1-4 defeat to Newcastle United. In a further blow to United’s campaign, striker Joshua Zirkzee has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a hamstring injury.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Amorim addressed the decision to drop Onana and the reasoning behind the Cameroonian's return. “Onana, he will play tomorrow,” he confirmed, putting an end to speculation about the goalkeeper’s position.
Onana has faced intense scrutiny in recent weeks, especially after Nemanja Matic, a former United midfielder now at Lyon, controversially labelled him as the "worst goalkeeper in modern Man Utd history." The criticism gained momentum following Onana’s costly errors in the 2-2 draw against Lyon in the first leg of the tie.
Amorim, however, defended his earlier decision to bench Onana for the Newcastle clash, opting instead for Altay Bayindir, who also struggled to contain the Magpies' attack.
"As a coach and former player, first of all, I try to do things that can help a player in this situation. We speak about managing players physically, but we also have to manage them mentally. We had one weekend where I felt it was better for André Onana not to play and a good thing for Altay to play,” Amorim explained.
On striker Joshua Zirkzee’s injury, Amorim confirmed the Dutch forward’s season is over. “Joshua is out for the season. He will not play more this season, let’s prepare him for the next one,” he said, calling it a tough moment for the young attacker who had been showing promising improvement.
Club defender Harry Maguire, present at the presser, threw his support behind Onana. “Andre has proved in his past that he is an excellent goalkeeper. He has won numerous trophies and played in Champions League finals. During a career, you have ups and downs. Right now, he may feel everything is going against him, but he’s a big character and will want to show what he’s about.”
“Playing in front of Andre, it’s great. I have confidence in him. He has had a fantastic career, and we all know he is an excellent goalkeeper,” Maguire added.
With Onana back between the posts and the team looking to bounce back from their recent defeat, all eyes will be on how United responds in the second leg against Lyon — a match that could prove pivotal in salvaging their season.