Andre Onana takes full responsibility after conceding from 40 yards vs Lens, his mentality is elite
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Andre Onana has been praised for showing 'elite mentality' after the Manchester United goalkeeper conceded from 40 yards in a pre-season clash against RC Lens.
It was an afternoon of mixed fortunes for Onana. Like he has on numerous occasions in pre-season, the 27-year-old looked comfortable when playing out from the back, delivering 45 passes with an overall accuracy of 87 per cent
He also completed eight long passes on his Old Trafford debut – a stat that will no doubt encourage United fans.
But all that good work was overshadowed when Lens forward Florian Sotoca capitalised on some aggressive positioning. After picking up the ball from a sloppy Diogo Dalot pass, Sotoca put Lens ahead with a perfectly-weighted chip.
Onana impressed on United's pre-season tour of America, especially during his debut against Real Madrid, where he showed off his pinpoint distribution and composure on numerous occasions.
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But some have criticised the former Cameroon international for his role in Lens' opener on Saturday afternoon.
That being said, Onana has taken responsibility for conceding against the Ligue 1 side by saying he will "take all the criticism and pressure" when United concede.
“I’m happy for the win. Of course we can always be better," he told MUTV after the full-time whistle. "Some things we have to try to fix. Like I always say, I am responsible for everything especially when we concede goals.
“I’m the big man at the back so I take all the criticism, all the pressure on me. It was a great game for me and for the guys, some important goals and I’m happy for everything.”
You can watch Onana's post-match interview in full below.
Andre Onana is HIM. 😤
— United Peoples TV (@UnitedPeoplesTV) August 5, 2023
Unreal mentality from our goalkeeper, no excuses at all, taking responsibility for his actions to cement his status as the ‘big man at the back.’
Our keeper ❤️ pic.twitter.com/zQQahrIX9o
Since taking responsibility for conceding the goal on Saturday, fans have compared Onana's comments to an interview given by former number one David De Gea in January.
After being criticised for his performances in a United shirt, De Gea said: "I have nothing to prove. I have already showed my qualities for many years. I know people love to talk but I'm used to that.
"I'm just performing as well as I can, helping the team and trying my best all the time."
Look at the difference pic.twitter.com/qokeAXHaEm
— B🥤 (@utdbrxy) August 5, 2023
Onana would later speak about the reception he received from the Old Trafford crowd.
"I am so happy for my debut," he said. "But the most important thing was the victory. [The fans during the warm-up] was a great welcome for me. I am happy for the victory, today was important and now we get ready for the coming games.”
He added on next week's Premier League opener against Wolves “I think this year will be great. I am very excited for the coming games. I’m already excited for Wolves, but we will have to prepare well because it’s not going to be easy.
"Everybody is working hard and I’m very confident and positive everything will be right if we do the right things."
Featured Image Credit: MUTV/Getty
Topics: Andre Onana, Manchester United, Premier League
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