Update: |’We are way better than Lyon’ – Andre Onana confident ahead of Manchester United Europa League tie News

After failing to score in successive Premier League games, Man United resume their Europa League campaign in Lyon on Thursday.

Andre Onana has bullishly declared that Manchester United are “way better” than their upcoming Europa League opponents Lyon.

United travel to France in midweek for their quarter-final first leg having failed to score in both of their Premier League fixtures following the March internationals.

Onana kept his ninth Premier League clean sheet of the season in the goalless draw with Manchester City on Sunday and United’s attention now turns to the competition that could yet salvage their season.

Lyon are fifth in Ligue 1 and thrashed FCSB 7-1 on aggregate in the round-of-16 to set up their tie with United, who last faced the French club in the Champions League back in 2008.

“It’s a very good team,” Onana said of Lyon. “We know some of them but I don’t think we have to focus on them. It’s more about us, what we’re going to do.

“I think we are better than them, we just have to go there and show who we are. If we go there with a winning mentality and we are focused, stay compact and together and we follow the game plan we will be winning the game.

“Of course, it’s not going to be easy, but I think we are way better than them. We all know the importance of this game, we will go there with the winning mentality, it’s not our best season but we still have something to win and we will go for it.”

United were the more creative side in the 196th derby yet they have now not scored in 12 games this season and still have a -4 goal difference in the Premier League.

In the Europa League, United have netted 21 goals in ten games but their dismal league form of ten wins in 31 games means they are still marooned in 13th.

United coach Ruben Amorim has stressed that the team’s performance level has improved of late, irrespective of results, and Onana echoed that. “We had a good game. We were in control, we had our moments, we had a lot of chances, we didn’t score unfortunately.

“But drawing how we did today in front of our fans is always a big disappointment, when you play such a big game like this you always want to win. But today I’m just positive because we had a good game and it will be an extra motivation for the coming game on Thursday.

“I think we had more chances than them, we had better chances than them. Unfortunately we didn’t score but it’s something really positive. If we keep playing how we’re playing we keep working how we are working it’s just a matter of time and everything will be all right.”

United supporters were audibly impatient with Onana on a number of occasions at Old Trafford when he had the ball over his apparent delay to launch counter attacks.

Amorim applauded Onana for not releasing the ball promptly in the second half and the 28-year-old stressed he is not affected by the noise from the stands. “To be honest, it doesn’t affect me because the decision I make is to help the team.

“Sometimes I will make the right decision, sometimes I will make the wrong decision. When I feel my players need to rest I have to take my time, when I feel we need to speed up the game I will do it.

“But sometimes, especially in the second half with an opponent that has a lot of control – they have more possession than us – I have to let my guys breathe. They need me to do that. If the team needs to speed up the game, I will do it. I try to make the best decision for the team.

“You always feel a bit of pressure when you wear this jersey, the club is so big. It’s not our best season and we want to do this so badly. Sometimes you get frustrated and of course you feel the pressure because you’re playing for Manchester United.

“Sometimes it’s an extra motivation to play in front of our fans. We want to win this for them, we want to win this to make history but the situation is not there yet. We have to be patient, we feel them and we work hard to turn this situation around.”

Onana conducted his post-match chat in the mixed zone amid a sit-in protest by around 1,500 United fans. Onana admitted the supporters’ disgruntlement is “something difficult to step on. As a player, we stick together, we really don’t know what is going on there.

“But as a team, we are always with our fans and it’s something we would love to win in front of them, this game. And hopefully for them we’re gonna win the next game.”