- Onana made several important salvages to win a draw against Arsenal
- There is a key feature that exhibits that it cannot be said for each United star
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David Raya left Old Trafford with the gratitude of his teammates and manager Mikel Arteta after rescuing a point for Arsenal against Manchester United.
In all the shock of the impressive late save of Raya by Bruno Fernandes, it was easy to ignore the fact that the goalkeeper at the other end of the field had played his role in winning a 1-1 draw in an entertaining match on Sunday.
It has been a difficult season for everyone in United, since the biggest English football club has sunk in the 14th place at the Premier League table, and Andre Onana is no different from any of his teammates.
There have been some moments that I would prefer to forget; The spilled crossing that led to Georgininio Rutter's goal for Brighton in Old Trafford, the shot of Morgan Gibbs-White who beat Onana in the defeat in the home against Nottingham Forest, and the intercepted pass when Matej Vydra put Viktoria Plzen in the Czeca Republic.
More recently, the role of Onana in the two goals of Ipswich in Old Trafford after confusion with Patrick Dorgu and a cross that slid in her distant post when she expected Liam Delap to contact the ball.
But if the strange empire remembers the first season of Onana in United, so is the resistance to demonstrate that the character has to recover.
Andre Onana will always stand up and tell himself, even when he and man join the fight
The goalkeeper made some vital salvages to keep United in the game against Arsenal on Sunday
He has faced criticism for some howlers this season, but he has the character to recover
No one could accuse Onana of hiding. While United players have been falling as flies, including their two substitutes, Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton, the guardian of Cameroon has remained firm in front of criticism and peace with their mistakes.
Against Arsenal on Sunday, Onana had already inclined over Martin Odegaard's shot in the second half when she achieved two late saves, by Gabriel Martinelli in her near post and Odeegaard again to her right. They were not on par with Raya de Fernandes, Noussair Mazraoui and Joshua Zirkzee, but just as crucial.
It was a similar story in San Sebastián on Thursday night when Onana denied Brais Méndez and Orri Oskarsson in the afternoon to keep United in the last draw of the Europa League against real society.
And despite the fact that Ruben Amorim's team left the FA Cup with penalties to Fulham four days before, he took the two saves of Emile Smith-Rowe and Ryan Sessegnon in extra time to join up to a shooting.
It was remarkable against Arsenal that seemed much stronger in the corners after granting twice from the pieces of the Arteta side in the Emirates in December. There was little Onana about the excellent Equalizer of Declan Rice in the 74th minute.
Fainting from the back is still a concern: the gunners tried to explode it in the early stages of Old Trafford, but that is so much so that United defenders feel comfortable receiving the ball under pressure than any problem with Onana.
The 28 -year -old has remained a pillar of this United team for a turbulent season, especially in recent weeks when Bayindir and Heaton have been injured and the United Bank has been full of rookie guardians such as Elyh Harrison, Dermot Mee, Hubert Graczyk and William Murdock.
It has been a challenging learning curve in United, even for a man who has played in a final of the Champions League and maintained the goal of the great European clubs such as Inter Milan and Ajax.
He has known the scrutiny that comes with his position since his difficult debut at home
They still have an opportunity in their European League the last 16 draw thanks to their interventions
Fainting is a concern, but that is so much to do with the discomfort of the defenders taking the ball
Errors and criticism are inevitable in the worst season of the club since 1974
From the moment onana was released from the midline in her debut at home in the lens in the summer of 2023 after making a movement of £ 47.2 million Inter to join her former chief of Ajax, Erik Ten, Hag in Old Trafford, has come to appreciate the magnitude of playing for United and the scrutiny she involves.
He knows that each action will be analyzed, each amplified and vilified error.
The pressure is huge, particularly when you are playing in the goal for Manchester United for probably the worst season since the club was relegated in 1974. Errors and criticisms are inevitable.
At least, United has an archer in Onana who will always stand up to be counted.
