Manchester United’s 3-3 draw at Galatasaray last night again exposed the frailties of their defence, and in particular goalkeeper Andre Onana.
The Cameroon international was arguably at fault for all three of Galatasaray’s goals as United squandered 2-0 and 3-1 leads in settling for a point in Istanbul.
The draw means Erik ten Hag’s men go into matchday six with their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.
They must win at home to Bayern Munich and hope Copenhagen and Galatasaray draw in order to finish second, though a victory will at least guarantee them a third-place finish and Europa League football.
It’s not a scenario Ten Hag would have envisioned after another summer of heavy spending at Old Trafford that included the £47.2million acquisition of Onana from Inter.
According to Opta, the 27-year-old has made more than twice as many errors by a goalkeeper leading to goals in the Champions League since 2018-19.
Most errors leading to opposition goals by goalkeepers in the UEFA Champions League since 2018-19:
7 – André Onana (44 apps)
6 – ❌
5 – ❌
4 – ❌
3 – Manuel Neuer (41 apps), Gerónimo Rulli (12 apps) PIC.TWITTER.COM/OUESYP1CS9— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) NOVEMBER 29, 2023
Although not all those errors were made for United it demonstrates his frailties, and does little to help a defence that has also had its struggles this season.
No English team has shipped as many as 14 at this stage of a Champions League campaign. Bar the clean sheet at home to FC Copenhagen, United have conceded at least three in every Group A fixture.
14 – Most goals conceded by an English team five games into a Champions League campaign:
14 – Manchester United (2023-24)
11 – Manchester United (1994-95)
11 – Tottenham (2019-20)
10 – Manchester United (1998-99)
10 – Manchester City (2012-13)
10 – Arsenal (2015-16)Circus.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) NOVEMBER 29, 2023
Their record in the Premier League is better with 16 goals conceded in 13 games but their European woes paint a grim picture overall. It all adds up to their worst defensive record across the first 20 games of a season in all competitions for 61 years.
33 – Manchester United have conceded 33 goals in all competitions this season, the most in their opening 20 matches of any season since 1962-63 (43). Concern. PIC.TWITTER.COM/BKCR6SLCXK
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) NOVEMBER 29, 2023
