David de Gea could laugh heartily at Manchester United's defeat at Arsenal last night, especially when watching the performance of his replacement, Andre Onana. De Gea might jokingly ask Erik ten Hag, "Those were the days, right?"
The new Cameroonian goalkeeper, formerly of Inter, was coveted by Ten Hag for his composure when handling the ball with his feet and his ability to act as a central defender supplying passes from the back.
However, two goals from Declan Rice and then Gabriel Jesus, following another goal from Martin Odegaard, demonstrated the most crucial role of a goalkeeper is preventing goals from being scored against them. It's not about ball distribution or foot skills!
Which of the Three Goals Conceded by Man United Could Have Been Prevented?
It's not entirely Andre Onana's failure, especially for Martin Odegaard's response goal. A quick passing game on the left side of the field left the Manchester United players confused about whom to mark.
Odegaard approached the box unguarded, and it was in his direction that Martinelli sent the ball, dribbling past Christian Eriksen towards Onana's left-hand side.
That's why the Cameroonian goalkeeper made the "Calm down, calm down" gesture in front of the United fans after conceding just 1 minute and 51 seconds after Marcus Rashford's goal breached Aaron Ramsdale's goal. The message should have been directed at himself.
Declan Rice's goal with the rebound off Jonny Evans:
A corner kick occurred in the 95th minute. The ball was directed towards the far post where Declan Rice stood. He used his chest to control the ball before shooting towards the goal, which was deflected off Jonny Evans's leg.
The last time Evans played for the Red Devils was in 2015. He stretched his leg to deflect the ball, deceiving Andre Onana. The goalkeeper could still touch the ball but not strongly enough.
If David De Gea had been there, his reflexes are famously strong, and the outcome might have been very different.
For the Gunners' third goal, there wasn't much Andre Onana could do. Gabriel Jesus had plenty of space and time after all the Red Devils players moved forward in search of an equalizer to Declan Rice's goal.
As a result, there weren't enough players retreating quickly enough to prevent Jesus' goal. The third goal for the Gunners is the only one that can't be blamed on Andre Onana.
Currently, while Arsenal has risen to fifth place in the current standings with 10 points, Manchester United, who finished third last season, has dropped to 11th place. Similarly, Newcastle United, who finished fourth last season, is ranked 14th.