Erik ten Hag Praises Andre Onana as Second-Best Goalkeeper in Premier League, But Liverpool’s Alisson Still Reigns Supreme
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has showered Andre Onana with praise, hailing him as the second-best goalkeeper in the Premier League.
When it comes to top-notch goalkeepers in the English top-flight, there are numerous contenders vying for the title. However, Liverpool fans would confidently argue that Alisson Becker is not only the best goalkeeper in the Premier League but also in world football. Manchester City’s Ederson is often compared to his Brazilian compatriot, while Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez boasts an impressive collection of individual accolades.
At Old Trafford, Andre Onana has faced a challenging start to his career as David De Gea’s successor. His recent blunder in Manchester United’s draw with Galatasaray once again placed the spotlight on the Cameroonian international, and he is reportedly concerned about retaining his spot in the team.
In an effort to boost Onana’s confidence, Ten Hag passionately defended his goalkeeper. Citing statistics, the Dutch head coach highlighted that only Luton Town’s Thomas Kaminski (4.5) has prevented more goals than Onana (3.4), based on the expected goals (xG) of the shots faced by each goalkeeper. However, notably absent from the conversation was Alisson.
“If you analyze it thoroughly, you’ll see that he is the second-best goalkeeper in the Premier League based on stats,” Ten Hag said. “His expected goals prevented is second-best in the Premier League.
“He’s been performing well, but he acknowledges that he has made some mistakes in the Champions League. However, overall, in the first five months, he has done admirably.”
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