“I take full responsibility for our loss,” admits Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana after a glaring mistake contributed to Bayern Munich’s victory in the Champions League.
The goalkeeper’s costly error added to the manager’s woes as the Red Devils endured a nightmare return to the Champions League.
Manchester United should have been eagerly anticipating their comeback in the Champions League, but their recent form had cast a shadow of apprehension over their visit to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich. Despite a promising start, their apprehensions turned into reality when Andre Onana committed a critical blunder, gifting Leroy Sane a goal and ultimately leading to a 4-3 defeat.
United had severed ties with David de Gea over the summer to secure Onana for £47 million ($57 million), primarily valuing his ball-playing abilities. However, Onana’s vulnerability in keeping goals out of the net has now become a significant concern for Erik ten Hag, whose promising first season in charge has unraveled into a nightmarish second season, both on and off the pitch.
Ten Hag has now suffered a third consecutive defeat, and if things don’t improve rapidly, his tenure might not even last the entire season. The only consolation for United is their resilience in the second half and the debut goal from new signing Rasmus Hojlund. Nevertheless, they might find themselves wishing they had chosen to sign Harry Kane, especially after the England captain enjoyed a stellar Champions League debut with his new team.