Andre Onana and Harry Maguire, two individuals who faced significant criticism throughout the season, unexpectedly excelled in helping MU defeat Copenhagen. This wasn’t just a pivotal match for Onana and Maguire but also for manager Erik ten Hag.
The Departed
In over four seasons, Maguire experienced a roller-coaster ride at Manchester United. He had a dream start, quickly securing a starting spot and even being named captain just a few months after his record-breaking £80 million move from Leicester. However, Maguire’s performance gradually declined, and he was even considered surplus to requirements.
Both MU fans and their rivals criticized the English defender. Under Erik ten Hag, Maguire only appeared in 20 out of 47 possible matches, totaling less than 1,000 minutes on the pitch.
Meanwhile, Onana was highly anticipated when MU signed him during the summer transfer window. The club spent a substantial £47 million to bring the Cameroonian goalkeeper to Old Trafford following his outstanding performances at Inter Milan.
However, things didn’t go as planned. Errors in the Premier League were compounded by even more significant mistakes in the Champions League, including a disastrous performance in a home loss to Galatasaray at the beginning of the season.
Onana became the subject of criticism, with many questioning why he was valued at nearly £50 million. Some even called for the club to renew David de Gea’s contract.
Unexpected Heroes
In the decisive match against Copenhagen, this duo emerged as heroes, helping Manchester United keep their hopes alive in the Champions League.
Due to defensive injuries, Maguire had recently been given more opportunities to play. He made the most of these chances, following impressive performances against Brentford and Sheffield United with another standout display against Copenhagen.
Maguire played a crucial role by scoring in the 72nd minute after a pass from Christian Eriksen. This goal gave the Red Devils a lead in a highly tense match up to that point and ultimately secured their first three points in the Champions League group stage for the 2023/24 season.
This was Maguire’s second Champions League goal, with his first coming against Atalanta in October 2021. In the match against Copenhagen, the English center-back had 89 touches, completed 72 out of 82 passes, won five aerial duels four ground duels, made one interception, and scored one goal.
However, Maguire’s joy would not have been complete without the timely intervention of his teammate, Onana. In the second half’s fifth minute of injury time, Scott McTominay fouled Mohamed Elyounoussi, and Copenhagen was awarded a penalty kick.
Signs of trouble had arrived, and it seemed that MU would face yet another disappointing match. However, Onana came to the rescue with a brilliant save against Jordan Larsson’s penalty kick, the son of the legendary forward Henrik Larsson.
This save was as good as a goal for Manchester United. The Red Devils preserved a full three points and rekindled their hopes in the Champions League after losing their first two matches.
After the match, both Maguire and Onana received an abundance of applause from the fans at Old Trafford. It was a well-deserved recognition of their relentless efforts.
Goalkeeper Onana shared after the match: “I’m just doing my job. I have to do that to bring victories to MU. We had a fantastic match. We are Manchester United, a huge club. I doubt we will advance past the Champions League group stage.”
Maguire, on the other hand, said: “It’s incredible. We played with more determination and got results in the second half. The first half was really poor, but in the second half, we played much better. I’m really proud and satisfied with how I’ve acted over the last 6-12 months. Now that I’ve been given the opportunity, I want to be here to help the team and bring this club back to where it needs to be.”
In a difficult moment, Manchester United and Ten Hag were saved by players who seemed to be on their way out. This could be a turning point for the team and Onana and Maguire.
Praise for Maguire and Onana
Both Maguire and Onana received a lot of praise after the match. On TNT Sports, coach Ten Hag said, “A fantastic and unbelievable night. Harry Maguire played a great match, and Andre Onana did the same.” Meanwhile, former midfielder Mesut Ozil posted on Twitter: “Harry Maguire & Andre Onana deserve all the praise for silencing their haters.”
