Andre Onana howlers cost Man Utd advantage in Europa League clash - 6 talking points
LYON 2-2 MAN UTD: Andre Onana's couple of errors meant that Manchester United could only come away from the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final with a frustrating draw
Two mistakes from the outspoken Andre Onana saw Manchester United slip to a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie against Lyon. After making headlines in the build-up to the match, Onana misjudged a free-kick to give the hosts an early lead.
Leny Yoro then drew United level with his first goal for the club on the brink of half-time. Joshua Zirkzee, who'd been brought on by Ruben Amorim in the second half, popped up with what looked to be the winner in the 88th minute after good work from the returning Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes.
The Red Devils were in the driving seat until Onana palmed a shot straight out to Rayan Cherki, who equalised in the 95th minute. The late drama setsa up a tense second leg at Old Trafford next Thursday.
There was added spice to the game in France after Onana made the bold claim that United were 'way better' than Lyon. Former United midfielder Nemanja Matic, who started on the bench for Lyon, hit back by labelling Onana one of the 'worst goalkeepers' in the club's history, prompting Onana to hit back and ridicule his failure to win a trophy during his five years at Old Trafford.
Here are six talking points from Lyon.
READ MORE: Eric Cantona destroys Man Utd owners and says former club ‘have lost their soul’READ MORE: Roy Keane slams his future son-in-law's former boss after poor performances saw him sacked1. Amorim bucks his own trend
You might as well call him the tinkerman. In Ruben Amorim's first 30 games in charge of United, he'd never named an unchanged starting line-up.
But fixture No.31 was different. Amorim decided not to make a single alteration from the XI who drew 0-0 with Manchester City on Sunday, a distinctly drab affair.
It meant another chance for Rasmus Hojlund up front and he scuffed an early chance - one which he'd soon regret.
2. Onana makes howler after Matic spat
Who didn't see this one coming? After talking the talk, Onana couldn't walk the walk, as he made a blunder to give Lyon the lead on 26 minutes.
A wide free-kick from Thiago Almada curled towards goal and after Lyon defender Nicolas Tagliafico unsuccessfully dangled a leg out, Onana misjudged the ball and it went straight in.
The United goalkeeper got fingertips to the ball but it wasn't enough and the home crowd's jeers of him at his every involvement turned into cheers. A penny for Matic's thoughts.
3. Yoro finally settling in
It's not been easy for Yoro at Manchester United. An ankle injury sustained in pre-season forced him to wait until December to make his Red Devils debut and he's hardly come into the world's most settled back line.
Having had to come to grips with Amorim's three-man defence, Yoro is looking more assured every game. On Thursday, the Frenchman was back playing in his home country for the first time since his £52million move to United.
Although he couldn't keep help the Red Devils keep a clean sheet, his header deep into first-half stoppage time drew the visitors level. After Manuel Ugarte volleyed the ball back into the penalty box after a poor punch away by Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri, Yoro was there to send it home, scoring his first goal for United and restoring parity.
Will Leny Yoro live up to his price tag? Give us your prediction in the comments section.
4. Toothless Hojlund hooked
Another game, another night without a goal for Rasmus Hojlund. The striker's woes continued in Lyon with a typically industrious but toothless display.
Hojlund created two chances for his team-mates but when the time came for him to have a pop just after the half-hour mark, his effort was tame and easy for Perri to save. Having scored in back-to-back goals for United and Denmark last month, it's now four games without a goal and just two in his last 26 appearances.
Zirkzee might not be any more potent in domestic football but he was brought on in the 63rd minute to repeat his heroics in Europe. The Dutchman had made an impact in the first leg away to Real Sociedad in the previous round and Amorim hoped that he'd be able to do the same.
5. Mainoo makes his return
As United searched to find a winning goal, there was a welcome sight in the closing stages as Mainoo returned from injury. It was first feared that the 19-year-old would miss the rest of the season but he was back in action for the first time since February 7.
Mainoo replaced Alejandro Garnacho, who'd just gone close to making it 2-1 when he got on the end of a Patrick Dorgu cross and forced a decent reaction save from Perri.
6. Onana costs United again after Zirkzee change pays off
Just like in Spain, Zirkzee scored a vital goal for United on their quest for European glory. The substitute's back-post header left Perri helpless and looked to have given the Red Devils a precious one-goal lead ahead of next Thursday's second leg in Manchester.
But then came another Onana error. The Cameroon international couldn't hold onto a shot before Cherki punished him and made it 2-2 with practically the last kick of the game.
Onana might be quieter ahead of the second leg.
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