Man Utd patience will only stretch so far with error-riddled £48m star

With transfer business shut down until January, managers across Europe remain eager to play recruitment cards close to their chest.

When in a position where fresh faces sit out of reach, why rock the boat and spark unnecessary debate?

In the case of Manchester United, there are seemingly plenty of discussions that could be had regarding reinforcements.

The Red Devils appear to be stuck in a constant state of flux, with any positive step forwards all too often followed by a couple in the opposite direction.

Passionate

Boss 🫡#MUFC pic.twitter.com/glRrNPju3t

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 2, 2024

That is the last thing that the Red Devils need at present, with a derby date looming large.

It will come as little surprise to fans of a red persuasion that their side are priced as 15/4 outsiders in Man City vs Man United odds that expect local bragging rights to remain on the blue half of a passionate divide.

Arguing a case for an away win is difficult, with football tips weighted in favour of a City team that has been enduring its own difficulties of late.

If United are to upset the odds, then they will need to be defensively resolute at the Etihad Stadium.

You have to turn the clock back to March 2021 to find the last time that the Red Devils kept a clean sheet against their noisy neighbours.

Andre Onana was breached on three occasions in home and away fixtures last season, and the Cameroonian goalkeeper has become an unfortunate talking point once again.

At a time when United need to be at their most watertight, unfortunate leaks continue to be sprung.

Fault was picked with Onana early on in his spell at Old Trafford, but Erik ten Hag was a coach that he knew well from their time together at Ajax.

Leeway was granted as a result, but another managerial page has been turned.

The arrival of Ruben Amorim has seen collective slates wiped clean, with there few in the United camp that boast any prior credit with the Portuguese tactician.

Onana is among those that need to prove their worth all over again, with the jury very much out.

Costly mistakes will be noted and logged heading towards future transfer windows.

Following more questionable keeping in a Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest, Amorim has said of the No.1 that: “He saved us a lot of times so we have to find a way to turn it around and score two goals to help our keeper for the way he, for example, saved us.”

Leaks

Garth Crooks really isn't rating Andre Onana 😳 pic.twitter.com/RVxLLHE56b

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) October 9, 2023

Such comments are not entirely unexpected, with United’s new boss in no position to start undermining his last line of defence.
He may, however, be giving thought to how the aforementioned leaks can be plugged.
Onana is a proven performer at the very highest level, and arrived in Manchester with a £48 million price tag around his neck, but there is only so far that patience can be bent and stretched before it snaps completely and change becomes a necessity.