Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has pointed fingers at the team’s senior players for their disappointing season.
United finished eighth in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, their lowest ever.
Despite ending the campaign with a 2-0 win over Brighton, United’s hopes for European football next season hinge on winning the FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Meanwhile in an interview with Gary Neville on “The Overlap,” Onana pointed at the responsibility of the team’s veterans during a tough season.
“For me, I don’t pay attention to [criticism],” Onana said. “I have come into this team to take bullets, because we are under construction – at the moment, we are not the best.
“We have other teams who are doing better than us and we have to be honest and recognize that.”
Onana specifically mentioned Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, and Harry Maguire as senior players who should shoulder the criticism rather than the younger squad members.
“When things are going wrong, don’t go for the youngest player – I’m here to take it, Bruno, Casemiro, and Harry are there and we are used to it.”
The Cameroonian international, who joined United from Inter Milan for £47.2 million last summer, disclosed the negative impact of criticism on younger players, especially when it comes from club legends.
“When it’s people who were sitting where I’m sitting, who won everything, sometimes it’s bizarre – we are in the same boat. We try to follow your thing and what you did.”
Onana also addressed the defensive issues that have affected the team, and the number of goals conceded because of it.
“It’s a price to pay. Everything is temporary – last season they didn’t face that, and I’m 100 percent sure that next season we will not face that.
“We faced a lot of injury crises, lost a lot of important players – but, of course, it’s not an excuse.”
Looking ahead to the FA Cup final against City, Onana expressed hope saying, “It’s just a bad season for all of us.
“We have to stay positive as we are doing at the moment. I know everything will be alright – if not this season, it will be next year.”
In his debut season for the club, Onana conceded 82 goals from 50 appearances, but he remains hopeful about next sesosn.
