Andre Onana dropped after costly errors in Europa League match

On April 13, 2025, Manchester United's goalkeeper Andre Onana was omitted from the squad for their Premier League match against Newcastle United. This decision came on the heels of Onana's poor performance in the Europa League quarter-final first leg against Lyon, which took place a few days prior. In that game, Onana made two significant errors that contributed to the match ending in a 2-2 draw. Ruben Amorim, the team's manager, has opted to rest Onana to help him recover mentally after a challenging period both on and off the pitch. Amorim's decision is based on not only Onana's mistakes during the match against Lyon but also personal issues that Onana has been facing. His wife experienced a traumatic robbery incident in Manchester in March, which likely affected Onana's mental state and performance on the field. By giving Onana a break, Amorim aims to support his player in overcoming this difficult time. In Onana's absence, Altay Bayindir is set to make his Premier League debut. Bayindir has only appeared in domestic cup matches so far this season, making him an inexperienced replacement in this crucial fixture. He was notably a standout performer during the FA Cup third round when Manchester United faced Arsenal and emerged victorious after a penalty shootout. It remains to be seen how Bayindir will perform under the pressure of the Premier League. The match against Newcastle is significant for both teams as Newcastle is striving to secure a place in the top five of the Premier League, possibly needing a Champions League spot for the next season. Unfortunately for Newcastle, their manager Eddie Howe was hospitalized just days before the match, which adds another layer of complexity to their preparations. With Bayindir taking the place of Onana and Howe absent, both teams are heading into this match under less than ideal circumstances.