Former Manchester United goalkeeper Tim Howard says some of Andre Onana's preseason remarks "utterly shocked" him.
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Onana willing to 'take risks' this seasonTim Howard 'shocked' by commentsTells goalkeeper to cut out mistakesGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Onana joined Manchester United in the summer of 2023 from Ajax as the Red Devils looked to fill the David de Gea-shaped gap in their squad. However, the Cameroonian goalkeeper struggled to find his footing and was guilty of several high-profile errors in a disappointing Premier League season for the Red Devils.
AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Manchester United conceded a total of 84 goals in all competitions throughout last season, and several questions have been raised about Onana's place in the team for the 2024/25 campaign. The Cameroonian, however, has claimed that he is not fazed by all the criticism. Onana also claimed during pre-season that he will be looking to take more risks this season, something that has baffled Howard, a former goalkeeper for the Red Devils.
Getty ImagesWHAT HOWARD SAID
Speaking to NBC Sports, Howard said: "I’m rarely surprised at things in football. [But] I was utterly shocked to hear Onana say ‘be prepared I will take a lot more risks this season’.
"He conceded 58 goals, that number has to come down, he can ill-afford to make too many mistakes. Some of the goals that went past him were very, very saveable. The fact he’s willing to take more risks I guess is exciting and compelling, I wasn’t convinced last year, but right now he has a lot to prove.
"He has brilliant ability but he hasn’t put that into place and too many goals are going in that need to be saved."
WHAT NEXT FOR ONANA?
The former Ajax goalkeeper was one of the stars for Erik ten Hag's side as they opened their Premier League campaign with a win against Fulham. However, he will now look to maintain that form into the rest of the season and silence his critics.