The real issue isn't Onana - Nigerian expert defends underfire Cameroonian goalkeeper after night to forget

A Nigerian journalist has come to the defense of Manchester United’s embattled goalkeeper Andre Onana following a night to forget in the Red Devils’ Europa League quarterfinal first-leg clash against Lyon, which ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw.

Oma Akatugba, a Germany-based journalist, insisted that Onana is not the root of Manchester United’s problems, despite the 28-year-old Cameroonian goalkeeper being at fault for both of Lyon’s goals in the match.

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The draw leaves United with work to do in the second leg at Old Trafford, as their hopes of silverware this season hinge solely on the Europa League.

The game started poorly for United, with Lyon taking the lead in the 25th minute through Thiago Almada’s free kick, which Onana failed to hold onto, allowing the ball to slip through his grasp.

United fought back before halftime, leveling the score through a towering header from Leny Yoro. In the dying moments of regulation time, Joshua Zirkzee put United ahead, heading in a pinpoint cross from Bruno Fernandes.

However, Lyon snatched a dramatic equaliser in stoppage time when Onana’s weak save from a shot allowed Rayan Cherki to pounce and secure a draw for the hosts.

The result sparked heavy criticism of Onana, with fans and pundits pointing to his latest errors as part of a troubling pattern.

A widely shared post noted that the goalkeeper has made eight mistakes directly leading to goals since the start of last season. But Akatugba dismissed the narrative, taking to social media to defend Onana’s quality and shift the blame elsewhere.

“Onana is a top-tier goalkeeper,” Akatugba wrote. “You don’t go from Ajax to Inter to Manchester United if you’re useless. The real issue isn’t Onana—it’s United. Mark my words: any striker who joins United right now risks becoming ineffective.”

United’s inconsistent season has seen them struggle to find form, with the Europa League now their only realistic chance at a trophy.

Manager Ruben Amorim and his squad appeared visibly frustrated at the final whistle, knowing the missed opportunity to take a lead back to Old Trafford could prove costly.

The second leg promises to be a defining moment for both Onana and Manchester United’s European campaign. But Akatugba’s comments have sparked more discussion among fans, with some echoing his view that systemic issues at the club, rather than individual errors, are holding United back.