Erik ten Hag defends Andre Onana after Manchester United’s defeat to Bayern Munich

Manchester United suffered a 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, with goalkeeper Andre Onana taking full responsibility for the loss after the match.

However, United manager Erik ten Hag has insisted that Onana is not the only player to blame for the defeat, and that mistakes are part of football.

Bayern take the lead

Bayern took the lead in the 28th minute at the Allianz Arena after Leroy Sane’s low effort squirmed past Onana. Serge Gnabry then doubled Bayern’s lead four minutes later to give Thomas Tuchel’s side a 2-0 lead by half time.

United fight back

Four minutes after the restart, Rasmus Hojlund scored his first goal for United to pull Ten Hag’s side back into the game but Christian Eriksen was then harshly punished for a handball inside United’s area and Harry Kane stepped up to score the penalty.

Casemiro struck with two minutes remaining to hand another lifeline for United but Mathys Tel’s excellent finish restored Bayern’s two-goal advantage before Casemiro netted again with just seconds of the game to spare.

Ten Hag speaks out

When asked for his verdict on United’s fourth defeat of the season, Ten Hag said: ‘Disappointed because we should stay in the game. When you score three goals at Bayern you should at least take a point.’

When made aware that Onana had taken the blame for United’s defeat, Ten Hag replied: ‘It’s good he’s doing that but it’s about the team. Mistakes are always being made but you have to bounce back as a team, when you score three goals at Manchester United, even when one players makes a mistake, it’s done, it’s gone, that’s what we as a team have to believe, that we can always bounce back.

‘Tonight we showed it, if you stay in the game and find yourself in the game then kep going, even when there are mistakes. It’s not only about one mistake, before that it was too easy for the player to get a shot, you have to be consistent in such moments and then you will win games.’

Onana not solely to blame

Ten Hag then said in his post-match press conference: ‘It was not only Andre, of course he knows he has to stop that ball. But the way Sane came through, that cannot be. And I think the second goal is almost similar over the other side, how easy players are coming through and entering our box and can finish, it can’t be.

‘In football there will always be mistakes, this was one mistake, we also don’t make it bigger than it is. As I said already it was not only Andre in that goal, there were more [responsible]. After that in the second half he made great saves for us, he shows his capabilities, he will bounce back, he is an important player.’

Conclusion

Erik ten Hag has defended Andre Onana after Manchester United’s 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. Ten Hag insists that Onana is not solely to blame for the loss and that mistakes are part of football. Onana took full responsibility for United’s defeat after the match but Ten Hag has insisted that it is about the team and that they must bounce back from their mistakes.