EPL 2023-24: Is Manchester United's Onana better than David de Gea? Here's what goalkeeper's stats reveal
In a recent comparison between Andre Onana and David De Gea, statistics reveal Onana's standout performance at Anfield, marking a significant improvement over De Gea's last outing.
FollowThe commencement of Andre Onana's role as Manchester United's primary goalkeeper has brought both challenges and highlights. While his touted ball-playing skills sparked initial excitement, concerns had grown among fans about the declining performances of his predecessor, David de Gea.
Recent statistics from X, presented by football analyst Statman Dave, compare Onana's performance with De Gea's last game at Liverpool's stadium, where Manchester United conceded seven goals. The figures indicate a substantial improvement in Onana's passing, touches, and shot-stopping abilities.
Despite De Gea's legendary status at the club, criticisms surfaced regarding his struggles in adapting to a modern playing style, particularly evident in the Europa League quarter-final against Sevilla last season. In contrast, Onana garnered UEFA praise for his unique role as a midfielder-like sweeper-keeper during Inter Milan's journey to the Champions League final.
Onana's tenure at Manchester United has been a mix of accomplishments and setbacks. Leading the Premier League in clean sheets, he showcased an impressive performance in the recent draw at Anfield, despite earlier struggles in European competitions against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray.
Notably, Onana's passing prowess surpassed De Gea's, completing nearly triple the number of passes and contributing significantly to maintaining possession with successful long passes. Despite criticisms of Onana's unorthodox style, he outperformed De Gea in traditional shot-stopping, making more saves and preventing more goals according to statistical analysis.
While recognizing that goalkeeper performance isn't solely responsible for outcomes, the statistics suggest Onana's potential and skills are worth exploring further. The possibility of continuing the season with Onana may offer valuable experience and potentially shape the future of goalkeeping at the club.
In a broader context, the analysis highlights the evolving requirements in modern football, where goalkeepers are expected to contribute to the team's possession play, an aspect that De Gea, representing an older generation of keepers, has struggled to adapt to. His potential departure from Manchester United reflects the changing landscape where ball-playing skills are as crucial as shot-stopping abilities.
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