Update: ‘Ridiculous’ – Manchester United dressing room verdict on Andre Onana criticism News

Andre Onana was at fault for both of Lyon’s goals as Man United drew 2-2 in their Europa League quarter-final first leg.

Joshua Zirkzee believes it would be “ridiculous” to blame goalkeeper Andre Onana for Manchester United’s Europa League quarter-final draw with Lyon.

Onana was culpable for letting Thiago Almada’s inswinging direct free kick go all the way in and he spilt a shot that was turned in by Rayan Cherki on the rebound in the 95th minute. Cherki’s conversion was the last kick of the game.

Ruben Amorim refused to single out Onana and claimed he had made more mistakes during his first five months coaching United than the Cameroonian has. However, Onana’s two errors were particularly ill-timed after he billed United as “way better” than Lyon, prompting Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matic to dub Onana as “one of the worst goalkeepers in the history of United” the day before the tie.

Zirkzee suffered his own public humiliation this season when he was substituted in the 33rd minute in the home defeat to Newcastle in December. He sympathised with Onana.

“100 percent. We’re one team, so we’re not going to take someone out for making mistakes. That’s ridiculous,” Zirkzee said.

“To draw in this way is always a little bit, I don’t want to say frustrating, but it hurts for it to go this way. But it was what it is and we just have to focus on the next game and that’s Newcastle away. And then we all know what we have to do when we face them again at home next week.

“I’m sure with the full support of the stadium it’s going to be difficult for them and easier for us, but they’re a great team, let’s not forget that, and it’s not going to be easy, but we all want to win, we have to win, so we’ll see.

“We have to win [the Europa League], we all know that. There’s no way around that. It’s the only thing we have to do.”

Zirkzee scored only his seventh goal for United and third this calendar year to briefly put them 2-1 up in the 88th minute. He has struck in United’s last two European away ties and he could start ahead of the limp Rasmus Hojlund at Newcastle on Sunday.

“The goals are always great, but in the end we have to win, and that’s the priority,” Zirkzee added. “I did a bit of training, it was the exact way I trained my headers this past week. So it was, yeah, if you want to call it coincidence, but for it to happen this way was very nice.”

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