Andre Onana appears to make veiled Man United comment after Pep Guardiola praise

Andre Onana has rediscovered some form at Trabzonspor and the goalkeeper has responded to praise from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola

Manchester United outcast Andre Onana appeared to take a veiled swipe at his Old Trafford teammates whilst discussing his time at Trabzonspor. The Cameroon shot-stopper joined the Turkish side on loan after losing his place at United and has secured four consecutive league victories with his new employers.

Trabzonspor currently occupy second position in the Super Lig with 23 points, claiming 13 of those during Onana's six appearances between the posts. While the arrangement is initially temporary, the former Inter Milan and Ajax man could yet secure a permanent switch in 2026.

With Onana away, Senne Lammens has made a strong impression as he builds his argument to remain United's number one choice both now and in the future. Onana, however, seems considerably more content with his new colleagues.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has commended Onana's distribution skills on several occasions. When asked about such praise, the goalkeeper highlighted the importance his teammates play in enabling his approach.

"As I always say, most of the time, it's my teammates who give me the options when I'm building up the game," he said, per Sporx (via Sport Witness). "If they help me, the work looks much better."

These remarks could be interpreted as suggesting he lacked similar support during his United tenure. Although Onana faced criticism for several costly mistakes unconnected to his passing game, United's defensive frailties were widely acknowledged.

During his two campaigns as goalkeeper, the team let in 58 and 54 goals respectively in the league. They had only shipped more than 50 goals in two other seasons during the Premier League era, although one of those occasions occurred in the 2021/22 season with some of the same defenders who remain at the club today.

Speaking more broadly about his methodology, Onana explained: "If I have to create a play, I analyse it first. Are the opponents pressing, are they pressing with their wingers, are they pressing with their strikers, or are their centre-backs coming forward?".

"These are the things I need to see when I have the ball. I watch how the opponents are moving and then I look at the options and make my decision. Of course, it's always great to hear a comment like that from Pep Guardiola. He's one of the best managers in the history of football."

With only seven goals leaked in 10 fixtures, Onana's Trabzonspor outfit possess one of the most impressive defensive records in Turkey. Parent club United have allowed 14 goals in their nine league matches - three in three with Lammens between the posts and 11 in six with Altay Bayindir as goalkeeper.

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