The atmosphere at Old Trafford was meant to be one of European resurgence, but it quickly dissolved into a familiar narrative of individual errors and collective disappointment. For the second consecutive UEFA Champions League match, a costly mistake from Andre Onana proved decisive, leaving Erik ten Hag’s project at Manchester United under intense scrutiny and raising serious questions about the man brought in to replace a club legend.
The Galatasaray Collapse: A Tale of Two Halves
Manchester United’s 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray was a microcosm of their entire season—flashes of brilliance undermined by fundamental flaws. While the scoreline suggests a close contest, the underlying performance revealed a team struggling with confidence, particularly in its last line of defense.
Erik ten Hag has rightly pointed to an injury crisis that has ravaged his squad. The team sheet against the Turkish champions featured a makeshift left-back in Sofyan Amrabat and a patched-together defensive unit. Diogo Dalot’s positioning was questionable for the first goal, Victor Lindelof was caught out for the second, and the experienced Raphael Varane was absent for the third. These are not new concerns for United fans.
However, the appetite for excuses is fading rapidly when the manager’s own marquee signing, the goalkeeper specifically chosen to implement a new style of play, is the source of such palpable uncertainty. Onana was supposed to be the antidote to the problems of the past, not an amplifier of them.
The Onana Conundrum: A Failing Philosophy?
The crux of the issue lies in the very reason Onana was signed. He was lauded as a modern, ball-playing goalkeeper, the man to finally usher in Ten Hag’s desired era of possession-based football from the back. His ability with the ball at his feet was supposed to bring calm and composure, allowing United to build attacks and resist the high press.
Against Galatasaray, the theory fell apart. Onana’s performance was riddled with nervous moments. He might have been more assertive for Wilfried Zaha’s opening goal, and a hapless attempt to claim a cross in the second half seemed to shatter his already fragile confidence. The defining moment came soon after—a poor, rushed pass out from the back that went straight to an opponent, directly leading to Casemiro’s second yellow card and subsequent sending off.
The irony is stark. If David De Gea, often criticized for his distribution, had made an identical error, it would have been held up as the ultimate proof of his incompatibility with the modern game. Onana was bought to eliminate these exact mistakes, yet he is now making them at an alarming rate.
Ten Hag was quick to defend his player post-match, telling reporters, “Andre has the capability to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.” The statement feels less like a vote of confidence and more like a necessary public defense of a £47 million signing that is currently backfiring. The manager’s own credibility is now tied to Onana’s rapid improvement.
A Shining Light in the Darkness: The Rasmus Højlund Show
Amid the gloom, one performance provided unequivocal hope. Rasmus Højlund was a revelation, delivering a center-forward display that United have craved for years. The 20-year-old Danish international, signed for £72 million from Atalanta, announced himself on the Champions League stage with a breathtaking individual display.
His first goal was a powerful, surging run and a bullet header from Marcus Rashford’s cross. His second was even better—a stunning solo effort that saw him carry the ball from inside his own half, showcasing immense strength, pace, and a delicate finish to restore United’s lead. A potential hat-trick goal was correctly ruled out for offside, but his performance was a masterclass in modern striking.
Rasmus Højlund’s brilliant brace was the positive takeaway for United, with the young striker making history with his goalscoring start in the Champions League.
Højlund’s stats are historic. He became the youngest player to score in his first two Champions League appearances since Erling Haaland in 2019. He is only the fourth player to score three goals in his first two games for the club in the competition, joining an elite club featuring Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, and Romelu Lukaku. His maturity, hold-up play, and ruthless finishing suggest United have finally found their long-term number nine. If the defense can find stability, Højlund’s goals could fire them back into contention.
The Road Ahead: No Room for Error
The statistics make for grim reading. Manchester United have now opened a Champions League campaign with back-to-back defeats for the first time in their history. They have lost six of their first ten matches in all competitions this season, conceding 18 goals—their worst defensive record at this stage since the 1966-67 season.
The international break offers a momentary respite, but the pressure is mounting on Ten Hag. The injuries are a mitigating factor, but a manager is ultimately judged on results and the performance of his key signings. Onana’s struggles are no longer a minor storyline; they are central to the team’s failures.
Mcw pundit and former Premier League goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer noted, “The difference with a goalkeeper’s mistake is that it’s almost always fatal. Outfield players can lose the ball and have teammates recover the situation. When a keeper errs, it’s very often a goal. Onana needs to find a way to simplify his game and rebuild his confidence, and he needs to do it quickly.”
For Ten Hag, the international break must be spent finding a solution. The philosophy he is trying to implement requires a goalkeeper who is a foundation, not a fault line. The coming weeks will determine whether Onana can become that foundation or if he remains the problem that undermines everything Manchester United are trying to build.
Andre Onana’s Costly Errors: A Deep Dive into Manchester United’s Goalkeeping Crisis on Mcw
The story of Manchester United’s season so far is a tale of two signings: one struggling immensely under the weight of expectation, and the other soaring and offering a glimpse of a brighter future. The team’s fortunes depend on Erik ten Hag finding a way to fix the former while continuing to build around the latter. The patience of the Old Trafford faithful, and perhaps the club’s hierarchy, is being tested like never before.
