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Joshua Zirkzee has hit out at what he called the “ridiculous” criticism of Andre Onana following the Manchester United goalkeeper’s costly errors in their 2-2 Europa League quarter-final draw with Lyon.
Onana was responsible for both of Lyon’s goals as United were held to a draw in the first leg of the tie at the Groupama Stadium in France on Thursday.
The lead-up to the match had been dominated by a public spat between Onana and Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matic. Onana’s claim that United were “way better” than Lyon prompted Matic, a former Manchester United player, to label the goalkeeper “one of the worst goalkeepers in the club’s history.”
Onana’s performance did little to dispel Matic’s jibe. He conceded from Thiago Almada’s free-kick and then fumbled Georges Mikautadze’s shot, which rebounded into the path of Rayan Cherki to score Lyon’s stoppage-time equaliser.
After the match, United manager Ruben Amorim remarked, “One player makes a mistake, the whole team makes a mistake,” when asked about Onana’s performance. When Zirkzee was asked if he shared this sentiment, the substitute who had put United ahead with an 88th-minute goal said, “One hundred percent. We’re one team, so we’re not going to single anyone out for making mistakes. That’s ridiculous.”
Onana will face further scrutiny when United travel to Newcastle on Sunday, but Zirkzee is confident his team will provide the necessary support to ease the pressure on the Cameroon goalkeeper.
Zirkzee said, “To draw in this way is always a little bit… I don’t want to say frustrating, but it hurts to go this way. But we just have to focus on the next game, and that’s Newcastle away. Then we all know what we have to do when we face them again at home next week.”
He added, “I’m sure with the full support of the stadium, it’s going to be difficult for them and easier for us, but they’re a great team – let’s not forget that – and it’s not going to be easy, but we all want to win. We have to win, so we’ll see.”
Following a poor campaign in the Premier League, the Europa League remains United’s last hope of salvaging silverware this season.
Zirkzee concluded, “We have to win it, we all know that. There’s no way around that. It’s the only thing we have to do.”
