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It is challenging to be a goalkeeper for Manchester United right now.
One of Ruben Amorim's last remarks before the international break highlighted a concern that will be prominently addressed at United's Carrington training facility this week as they prepare for the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday.
Since Amorim's comments following the 3-2 victory over Burnley, United has invested £18 million to acquire the 23-year-old highly regarded yet inexperienced Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp, opting for him instead of Aston Villa's World Cup champion, Emiliano Martinez.
Additionally, they are in negotiations with Turkish Super Lig team Trabzonspor to facilitate a loan move for Andre Onana, who was signed by United for £47 million from Inter Milan two years ago.
This situation compels Amorim to rely on Altay Bayindir, Turkey's second-choice goalkeeper, who has played in all three Premier League matches this season but made significant mistakes against Burnley and during the opener that handed Arsenal a goal, appearing unsettled against Fulham, and facing City or he could assign Lammens to start in a rather unforgiving context.
This decision is accompanied by the awareness that any mistake will be scrutinized, and judgment will be both swift and harsh.
What led to Onana’s struggles?
First and foremost, the commonly held belief that Onana lacks quality is misguided.
Edwin van der Sar monitored the Cameroon international closely during his tenure as Ajax's CEO for three years.
Recognized as one of the greatest goalkeepers in history, Van der Sar was genuinely optimistic about Onana’s transfer to United and continued to support him after a lackluster initial season.
It is hard to envision someone as composed as Van der Sar expressing such enthusiasm about anyone unless he truly believed in his potential.
Onana himself has reflected on his arrival at United. "I came in as the world's top goalkeeper and suddenly, it fell apart," he shared with BBC Sport before the 2024 FA Cup final. "It felt like, what just happened?"
Insiders have indicated that Onana was brought to United for his skill in executing short passes—but he found himself having to resort to long balls.
Various factors contributed to this shift, notably his debut at Old Trafford during a pre-season match against Lens, where he ventured far outside his area and passed to Diogo Dalot, who subsequently lost possession. Onana was subsequently lobbed from 50 yards.
Erik ten Hag, who had also collaborated with Onana at Ajax, made the decision to replace David de Gea with his new goalkeeper, yet the shift in strategy diminished Onana’s performance, and the subsequent errors led to a lack of confidence from the fanbase.
Both Ten Hag and Amorim persisted in starting him, but a clear indication that internal support was waning came after the Europa League match in Lyon in April.
In the lead-up to the match, Onana expressed his belief that Manchester United should win, asserting they were "far superior" to the French team.
While the statement appeared harmless, former United midfielder and close friend of De Gea, Nemanja Matic, took the opportunity during the pre-match press conference to call Onana "one of the worst goalkeepers in the club's history."
This seemed to be a calculated move aimed at supporting a friend while simultaneously increasing pressure on Onana.
The strategy had an effect. Onana made two errors, contributing to a 2-2 draw in the first leg.
Amorim handed Bayindir his Premier League debut in the subsequent match against Newcastle. Although Onana ultimately concluded the season as the preferred choice, starting both legs of the Europa League semi-final and the final, the earlier trust placed in him by the coaching staff had diminished. Ten Hag postponed his participation in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2024 for so long that the only match he missed was the FA Cup victory over Newport.
Bayindir played in the last league match of the previous season, and even after Onana recovered from the hamstring injury sustained at the beginning of pre-season, he retained his position for the first three games of this season.
Onana's sole appearance this season was in the Carabao Cup loss to League Two's Grimsby, where he was responsible for their second goal.
Clearly, Amorim felt it was necessary to find a new goalkeeper. Onana is the one he has chosen to move on from.
Why Manchester United goalkeepers require 'rhino skin'
United's rationale for opting for Lammens over Martinez on transfer deadline day is that they are seeking someone who can play a significant role within the team in three to four years, as they aim to be in contention for major titles once more.
This reasoning is sound.
However, it overlooks the increased scrutiny that surrounds any United goalkeeper after a mistake is made.
"To be the number one at United, you must have rhino skin," stated Phil Jones, who made 229 appearances over 12 seasons with the club, primarily in defense.
During Jones' time at United, seven goalkeepers appeared in the Premier League: Ben Amos, Anders Lindegaard, David de Gea, Victor Valdes, Sergio Romero, Joel Pereira, and Dean Henderson.
"The Manchester United jersey carries significant weight," he remarked.
"What is most crucial is that the goalkeeper remains composed and can handle challenging situations. They need to be assertive and not panic during crosses.
"When a goalkeeper errs, it can quickly become contagious, affecting the entire defensive unit. If a goalkeeper made an error, it felt like that mistake lingered until the following match."
That is the reason Jones believes that De Gea - the goalkeeper he collaborated with the most - proved to be exceptionally skilled, despite a challenging beginning that ultimately led to him securing four club player of the year accolades.
"When I refer to rhino skin, he truly possessed it," Jones remarked.
"It's harsh in a sense, but he seemed to have this knack for being unconcerned. He was rather indifferent about his mistakes, even during practice sessions at times. Yet when he was called upon, he always delivered."
Carroll recognizes the weight of errors
De Gea, Van der Sar, and Peter Schmeichel are frequently regarded as the modern-day legends of goalkeeping for United.
However, there were others who played significant roles in helping the club secure Premier League titles over the years.
Mark Bosnich and Raimond van der Gouw participated in 37 out of the 38 games during the championship-winning season of 1999-2000. World Cup champion Fabian Barthez guarded the net for 30 matches during the title-winning season of 2000-01. He replicated this in 2002-03 as well, while Roy Carroll appeared 10 times.
The Northern Irishman, who is now serving as an academy coach in Saudi Arabia, has firsthand insight into what it entails to be a goalkeeper for United.
"I joined from Wigan in 2001," he shared. "At 23, I was behind Fabian Barthez in the lineup.
"Playing for Manchester United is challenging today, but it was even tougher back then, as everyone viewed you as the new Peter Schmeichel.
"Back then, if you made a mistake, it became major news. You had to possess strong mental fortitude, and that remains true today.
"But we are not machines; we are all human. It's not only about your actions on the pitch; it also pertains to your behavior off it."
Carroll understands how a single moment as a United player can leave a lasting impression.
He played in a league title victory for the club and came on as a substitute during the 2004 FA Cup final win against Millwall. Overall, he made 72 appearances for United during a career that encompassed nearly 500 senior matches across 11 teams in five different countries.
However, when his name is mentioned, it’s likely that people will think of the Pedro Mendes shot he let slip over the goal line, which he recovered before the assistant referee noticed.
"I made a significant error against Spurs, and that’s what people remember," he stated.
"I accept it. I can laugh about it now. Back then, I was not laughing because I felt upset, but as time goes on, I have become more relaxed about it."
Carroll is cautious about emphasizing the importance of mental toughness too strongly because he understands that merely repeating the concept and truly embracing it are two distinct things.
He speaks candidly about the depression he experienced - related to injuries rather than mistakes - during his career, which is why he advocates for off-field support, not just for United’s goalkeepers.
"Nobody educated me on managing the psychological aspect," he remarked. "My purpose was simply to be a goalkeeper - to practice daily and compete every weekend.
"I participated in every English league and, regardless of whether you find yourself at the highest or lowest level, maintaining mental toughness is essential.
"You might be the greatest goalkeeper globally, but when you falter in the mental department, it can shatter you, as it did for me for an extended period.
"This is why I make an effort to assist young goalkeepers, as the pressure today is significantly more severe."
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