Manchester United snatched a last-minute victory over the past weekend, narrowly scraping past Brentford thanks to a late double by Scott McTominay.
While long-standing players, such as Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire, often bear the brunt of criticism as underperformers, some of the newer additions to the Red Devils squad are now facing scrutiny.
Lisandro Martinez, who arrived from Ajax alongside head coach Erik ten Hag, has had his share of critics. After a recent 3-1 loss to Brighton at home, Gabriel Agbonlahor criticized the defender on talkSPORT.
Agbonlahor commented, “Martinez was at fault for the Gross goal; he attempted to block the shot, got faked out by Gross, and the ball ended up in the net. If that were Harry Maguire, the criticism would be endless, and calls to drop him from the team would be deafening. Harry Maguire must be wondering why he’s not getting a chance in this team.”
Similarly, young forward Rasmus Højlund arrived at the club with high expectations, carrying a hefty £64 million transfer fee on his shoulders. While he has struggled to find the net in the Premier League, his three goals in the Champions League demonstrate his potential.
However, Manchester United’s primary issue lies in the goalkeeping department. The signing of Andre Onana has raised concerns, particularly after David De Gea’s departure from Old Trafford.
How has Andre Onana fared this season?
Onana has encountered difficulties since his arrival at Manchester United this summer. The 27-year-old goalkeeper has had a challenging start to life in Manchester, conceding a total of 19 goals in 11 games for his new club.
His struggles have been exacerbated by costly errors that led to goals in various matches. In a home clash against Nottingham Forest, a bizarre goalkeeping incident saw Taiwo Awoniyi score just two minutes into the match. Although the Red Devils won 3-2, they had to overcome an unnecessary obstacle.
Seven of the goals he’s conceded have come in the Champions League, with Bayern Munich defeating Manchester United 4-3 in Germany and Galatasaray securing a dramatic 3-2 victory at Old Trafford.
In light of this dismal form, journalist Muhammed Butt has labeled him a “comedic liability.”
With goals leaking at an alarming rate, Erik ten Hag may contemplate changing his goalkeeper, with backup keeper Altay Bayındır awaiting his opportunity.