Amorim: 'The failure is not Onana's fault, but the entire Manchester United team'

After losing on penalties to Grimsby, manager Ruben Amorim stated that Andre Onana should not be held responsible. He stressed that the mistake belongs to the entire Manchester United team and extended apologies to supporters, urging everyone to stay united through the difficult period.

Coach Ruben Amorim made strong remarks defending goalkeeper Andre Onana after Manchester United were unexpectedly knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Grimsby Town. In that match, the "Red Devils" fell behind 2-0 to a League Two side and only managed to force a penalty shootout late on. However, United lost 11-12 on penalties, making Onana the focus of criticism for failing to save the decisive shot.

Facing a wave of criticism, Amorim stood up for his player: “The problem isn't with the goalkeeper. When you play against a League Two team and perform like that, the fault is with the entire squad, with how we started and played, not with Andre.” He affirmed that Onana cannot bear the responsibility for the team's poor performance and insisted that the Cameroonian goalkeeper should be protected rather than made a scapegoat.

The Portuguese coach believes this defeat reflects a lack of focus and determination from the whole team rather than an individual fault. He also apologized to the fans and promised to use the upcoming break to restore the team's spirit and style of play.

Amorim’s defense of Onana is seen as a strong message to maintain unity within the dressing room. Amid heavy pressure due to poor results, his public support for the player shows a desire to build trust and ease the burden on the goalkeeper, who has faced much criticism since joining Old Trafford.