Andre Onana Dropped from Manchester United Squad for Newcastle Clash; Altay Bayındır Set for Premier League Debut
Manchester United's first-choice goalkeeper, Andre Onana, has been dropped from the squad to face Newcastle United following a string of underwhelming performances, with his latest horror show coming in the Europa League quarter-final first-leg against Lyon. Onana’s errors led to both of Lyon's goals in the 2-2 draw, prompting manager Rúben Amorim to give him time to "rest and disconnect," according to BBC reports. This is also in relation to the goalkeeper wife being robbed just few weeks ago promoting Manchester United to provide 24 hours security for his family
In Onana’s absence, Turkish goalkeeper Altay Bayındır is set to make his Premier League debut. Bayındır, who joined United from Fenerbahçe in September 2023, previously impressed in the FA Cup, notably saving a penalty against Arsenal to help United advance.
The Cameroonian goalkeeper has faced increasing criticism this season. Onana's form has been under scrutiny. Adding fuel to the fire,Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matić recently branded Onana as "one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United history" in a press conference ahead of the first leg draw. Onana however did not take the comment lightly. He responded via X (formerly Twitter), defending his record by stating that he had "won trophies with the biggest club in the world," unlike Matic.
Despite this criticism, manager Rúben Amorim defended Onana, acknowledging that he himself has made more mistakes than Onana this season.
According to reports, Onana has made eight mistakes leading directly to goals since the start of last season—more than any other Premier League goalkeeper in that time.
With Champions League qualification at stake, United fans are hopeful that Bayındır can provide the stability needed between the posts. His performance against Newcastle could be pivotal in determining the team's direction for the remainder of the season.
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