United, the top scorers in Champions League Group A, are supporting the rankings with a 3-3 tie in Istanbul after losses of 4-3 to FC Copenhagen and 3-2 to Gala in the first encounter.
This adds to Onana’s record of 33 goals given up in 20 games since Erik ten Hag acquired him this summer from Inter Milan to take the position of veteran goalkeeper David De Gea.
In 13 Premier League games, he has only given up 16 goals, which is a little less than De Gea’s record under Ten Hag at this point in the previous season, when he had given up 18. Remarkably, though, he has surpassed that total in just seven games in other competitions, which also included a 3-0 Carabao Cup loss to Newcastle.
As of this date last season, United had given up 25 goals in 21 games across all competitions; De Gea was responsible for 23 of those goals, despite playing just in the Europa League. The 4-2 victory over Aston Villa in the League Cup was goaltended by Martin Dubravka.
One extreme or the other
With United, Onana has kept seven clean sheets, including a late-game penalty save in the 1-0 victory against Copenhagen at home. However, Onana has let up three goals or more eight times, compared to De Gea’s six throughout the entire previous campaign, which includes defeats by Manchester City and Liverpool 7-0 and 6-3.
This season, United has dropped four Champions League games, the Newcastle match, and league matches against Arsenal, Brighton, and City (3-1, 3-0, and 3-0, respectively).
Eight games account for forty percent of Onana’s United appearances to date, whereas in his twelve years at Old Trafford, De Gea has conceded three or more goals in fewer than ten percent of games.
There are just five instances this season where United has conceded once or twice because to this “one extreme or the other” mentality. Since defeating Sheffield United 2-1 on October 21, they have won four games and given up three or four in the other four.
How Onana compares
De Gea gave up 43 goals in 38 games, at an average of 1.13 goals per game, and won the Premier League Golden Glove the previous season with 17 clean sheets.
With Onana’s current rate of 1.23, United would allow 46.77 goals during the course of the league season. Only twice have they allowed 47 goals or more, in 2018–19 and 2021–22.
During those two seasons, which were undoubtedly United’s worst in the Premier League’s history, De Gea was a constant in the league. They gave up 72 goals in 51 games in all competitions in 2018–19, or 1.41 goals per game on average.
During Ten Hag’s first season in leadership, United let up 63 goals in 62 games, or 1.02 goals per game. With the exception of four Carabao Cup matches that Dubravka and Tom Heaton shared, De Gea was always there.
In order to make up for Onana, United has given up more goals on goal this year while having a defense be plagued by ailments. The Cameroon international is halfway to David De Gea’s record of 101 saves in 38 league games from the previous season with 51 saves in 13 league games, up from 2.7 average per game.