Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana will be recalled for the side’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon, manager Ruben Amorim has said.
The Cameroon international was left out of United’s squad for the 4-1 defeat by Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday, with Turkey international Altay Bayindir deputising.
The 29-year-old was labelled “one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United’s history” by former player Nemanja Matic before the first leg as the Lyon midfielder reacted furiously to the stopper saying the Premier League team were “way better” than the French club. Onana was then to blame for the two goals that United conceded in their 2-2 draw in France.
But Amorim says the former Inter Milan goalkeeper will be recalled for the tie at Old Trafford on Thursday (20:00 BST). “As a coach and former player first of all I try to do things that can help a player in this situation,” said Amorim. “We speak about managing players physically but we also have to manage them also mentally. “We had one weekend where I felt it was better for Andre Onana not to play and a good thing for Altay [Bayindir] to play. “He (Onana) will play tomorrow.”
Bayindir, making his Premier League debut against Newcastle, gave away possession for the Magpies’ fourth goal. Amorim says Onana, a £44m signing in 2023, “deserves” to return to the starting XI.