Manchester United's Andre Onana is back in the spotlight with manager Ruben Amorim announcing the embattled goalkeeper's return for the crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon.
Lyon clinched a dramatic 2-2 draw in the first leg last week after Onana's errors contributed to both goals. Amorim then left him out for Sunday's Premier League match at Newcastle United where Altay Bayindir played in goal in a 4-1 defeat. Bayindir also made a mistake for the home team’s fourth goal.
Onana's forgettable performance had come a day after Lyon midfielder and former Man United player Nemanja Matic described the Cameroonian as "one of the worst goalkeepers" in the club's history. However, Amorim defended his player at the time and continues to trust him.
"Onana will play tomorrow," Amorim said ahead of Thursday's match at Old Trafford.
"I think first of all, as a coach and former player, I try to do things that can help a player in this situation. Sometimes we talk about managing players physically but we also talk about managing them mentally.
"We had one weekend where I felt it was better for Andre Onana not to play and a good thing for Altay to play."
Amorim did not say if United would be looking for a new goalkeeper in the off-season. United are seeking to win the Europa League to secure qualification for next season's Champions League.
Amorim faced many questions about the decision ahead of the biggest match of United's season, with the Europa League providing their last route to silverware and continental qualification.
The Portuguese said he spoke to his staff, including goalkeeping coaches Jorge Vital and Craig Mawson, before making his decision to restore Onana.
"My answer is that we need to improve every position on the field," he said. "Goalkeeper is the same. We can work with Andre.
"If the team performs, if our team scores more goals and is more danger with the forwards and the strikers, we will defend better. Onana will defend better.
"Andre Onana already proved that he's a top player in Inter, so he has a past. Altay the same thing in Fenerbahce.
"Sometimes you have some seasons that we are underperforming. If we are going like 'if any player is underperforming, you have to change everything', that is not the process that we need now."
Amorim spoke alongside former United captain Harry Maguire, who knows a thing or two about being in the spotlight and coping with criticism.
"Andre has proved in his past that he's an excellent goalkeeper," the centre-back said. "He's proved it at Inter, he's won numerous trophies, played in Champions League finals.
"During a career you always have spells where you have ups and downs and you find yourself a little bit out of form, and it's about how you build yourself back and find that confidence to perform again."
Amorim also confirmed that forward Joshua Zirkzee will miss the rest of the season, adding to the club's damaging injury list. The Netherlands international, 23, limped off in the second half of Sunday's defeat at Newcastle after suffering a hamstring injury.
The lion's den
Tottenham have been warned they will walk into the "lion's den" at Deutsche Bank Park for their Europa League quarter-final second-leg meeting with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Spurs' season hinges on Europa League progress in Germany and the last-eight tie is finely poised after a 1-1 draw in north London last week.
Manager Dino Toppmoller made reference to the partisan support Frankfurt would receive after the stalemate and their last meeting with an English opponent in West Ham in 2022 produced an end-of-match pitch invasion with supporters letting off flares.
Asked how loud it will be, Toppmoller smiled: "They will feel it tomorrow.
"There are many factors which are important. The key for success tomorrow will be that we have a good start into the match, we are right away on the pitch and that we make use of the advantage of playing at home."
Defender Robin Koch also expected Frankfurt supporters to turn the stadium into a cauldron of noise.
Koch added: "Well, I think we shouldn't count on that and shouldn't expect that Tottenham all of a sudden don't know how to play football because they are away.
"They play for everything tomorrow. Their league is more or less done, so they will give it everything and then especially in the connection with our public, the stadium will be a lion's den but I don't think Tottenham will give up too early."
