"Is he working with him in the right areas?" - David James holds Manchester United man responsible for Andre Onana's struggles
Former England star David James has held Manchester United's goalkeeping coach, Richard Hartis, responsible for Andre Onana's struggles this season. The Three Lions icon questioned whether Hartis is working with the Cameroonian shot-stopper to improve the areas where he's currently lacking.
Andre Onana hasn't had the best of starts at Manchester United. The goalkeeper joined the Red Devils from Inter Milan for €50 million during the summer transfer window, but his start to life at Old Trafford has left a lot to be answered.
So far, Onana has made 25 appearances for the Red Devils across all competitions this season, conceding a whopping 39 goals and recording eight clean sheets to his name.
Commenting on the Cameroonian's struggles at Manchester United, David James questioned whether the club's goalkeeper coach is helping his trainee address the problematic areas of his game.
“One question I would ask is what is the Manchester United goalkeeper coach doing with Onana every day? Is he working with him in the right areas or is he too weak to take the session to where the keeper needs to be?" the former England shot-stopper told Football365 in an exclusive interview.
James further claimed that the 27-year-old would eventually blossom at Old Trafford if he continues under Erik ten Hag, but doesn't think the tactician will remain at Old Trafford for long.
“In time, I believe Onana will prove his value to Manchester United and Ten Hag will benefit from that if he stays there for long enough, but there have be doubts over his future," he continued. “If it doesn’t look like he is going to finish in the Champions League, tradition says that’s your exit from a club of that size."
Despite Onana's struggles, Erik ten Hag continues to put faith in him. The Cameroonian's position in the team has been undisputed since his arrival and it doesn't look like that will change anytime soon.
What's next for Andre Onana and Manchester United
After putting up a resilient performance and earning a goalless draw versus Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend, Manchester United will be hoping to ride on that momentum to deliver more positive results going forward.
The Red Devils will be in action once again in the English top flight this weekend when they lock horns with West Ham United at London Stadium on Saturday, December 23. That will be followed by two important games versus Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the following week.
After being eliminated from both the Champions League and the EFL Cup, United will now be looking to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League and also fight for the FA Cup. They will hope that Andre Onana finds his form in time to help the Red Devils achieve their objectives.