Erik ten Hag was left to rue Andre Onana’s latest error-strewn Manchester United performance (Picture: Getty)
Ruud Gullit fears Erik ten Hag is on the brink of being forced to make a big decision on the future of Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana.
The Cameroon international appeared to have turned a corner following a difficultstart to his United career with a strong performance in last weekend’s 3-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park.
Onana, however, failed to build on that display and committed two more horrendous errors which cost his side dearly in last night’s pulsating 3-3 draw against Galatasaray.
Ten Hag defended the £50million summer signing from Inter and took responsibility for a result which left his side’s hopes of qualifying for the last 16 dangling by the most precarious of threads.
Gullit believes Ten Hag will be thinking differently in private and should ask serious questions of a player who continues to make mistakes on a concerningly regular basis.
He told beIN Sport: ‘He knows these are horrible mistakes, he knows that. He’s going to talk in private with his goalkeeper and ask what the hell are you doing, what is going on?
‘Maybe he has to make a decision, you never know. The problem is you want to give your goalkeeper, as much as you can, confidence. Not immediately after a mistake get out. With goalkeepers it is hard. He was in a difficult situation.
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‘He saved them once but I feel for him I know he’s a good goalkeeper but he cost them a lot of games.’
Speaking after the game, Ten Hag admitted his side is conceding too many goals but refused to blame Onana despite the goalkeeper’s questionable positioning and decision making.
‘We scored also quickly after each other,’ United manager Ten Hag said. ‘It’s about the point when you are leading, when you are 2-0 up and you have to manage the game. Not so easy.
‘We give free-kicks away and we have to defend them better twice. I have to say also that is Hakim. He is brilliant, I know that. He is extraordinary. To give free-kicks, it’s difficult to defend as well. In such areas, we have to be in more control.
“It is always about incidents, always about details and some incidents we can manage better.
‘As a team, we have to learn from it because we are conceding too many goals and it is unnecessary and avoidable.
‘I am sure our team is experienced enough and capable enough to manage this and we will do better.
‘What is enjoyable is the progress we have and the way we play football. We dictated the game, we scored so many goals – it was about plan, creativity, being proactive and brave. That makes me happy.’
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‘He cost them a lot of games.’