Erik ten Hag risks being made to look a fool if he continues to back Andre Onana, says Dwight Yorke

Erik ten Hag is risking being made to look a fool if he continues to back summer signing Andre Onana, according to Dwight Yorke.

The Manchester United manager put his neck on the line in the summer by ousting the long-serving David de Gea and playing a key role in the decision to replace him with the Cameroon international.

Onana has since delivered a series of error-strewn displays that have left many questioning Ten Hag’s judgement, while United’s own coaches have been concerned by the way the 27-year-old has reacted to the mistakes he has made.

Despite a less than convincing start to his United career, there is no indication that Ten Hag has lost faith in a player he coached at Ajax and that could prove to be a huge error, according to former United striker Yorke.

Yorke’s Warning

‘They always say the grass is never greener on the other side,’ Yorke told investment data analysis platform Stocklytics, ‘I told everybody that they should be careful what they wish for! Managers are there to make tough decisions and they have their own ideas on who they select in their team. Ten Hag made the decision to get rid of De Gea and bring in Onana.

‘If you study Onana, and I’m sure Ten Hag did, you’ll see there’s a massive risk with the way he plays – especially in the English game. It’s totally different, and you thought Onana would have known that by now. There are a lot of crosses and a lot of passes in and around the box and you need a goalkeeper who can handle those situations.

‘Yes, you need a ‘keeper who wants to play out from the back, and that’s Onana’s philosophy. It’s high-risk, high reward. It’s brilliant when it works, but when it doesn’t, it looks like the manager has got his selection totally wrong. It’s clear to see that the goalkeeping department has been a massive struggle for United.

‘Managers can look like the fool sometimes by bringing someone in who doesn’t work. I was at the club when Sir Alex brought Massimo Taibi into the side, and he didn’t quite work out. The manager did, however, realise that very quickly. I’m not sure if Ten Hag will do that, or if he’s stubborn enough to back Onana. We don’t know.’

Conclusion

Erik ten Hag is risking being made to look a fool if he continues to back summer signing Andre Onana, according to Dwight Yorke. Despite a less than convincing start to his United career, there is no indication that Ten Hag has lost faith in a player he coached at Ajax and that could prove to be a huge error.

Managers can look like the fool sometimes by bringing someone in who doesn’t work and Ten Hag needs to be aware of this risk. He needs to make sure he is not stubborn and willing to back Onana if he continues to struggle. Only time will tell if Ten Hag’s decision will pay off or not.