De Gea vs Onana comparison: Which Goalkeeper performed better?

All over the world, people are invested in the sport of football. Not only is watching a great football match a fun way to bond with others over a common interest but spectators can also debate over who the best players are in the spirit of healthy competition. This trend is no different when it comes to the U.K. as there has been a divide of opinion on who the best goalkeeper has been for Manchester United football team. With this in mind, it is worth exploring whether De Gea or Onana, who are considered two of the best goalkeepers, will win over the public.

A great servant to the club

Firstly, it is important to note that De Gea has been known for being the goalkeeper for Manchester United for a long time but he no longer plays for them. On the other hand, Onana is a fresh face for Manchester United and is currently their goalkeeper. In fact, following De Gea’s departure from the team, Manchester United signed goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter Milan for a fee of around €50 million ($56.1m). This occurred because both Manchester United and De Gea failed to come to an agreement on a new deal when his contract ran out. Although David De Gea had a 12 year career at Manchester United which came to an end when he decided to leave on a free transfer after his contract expired, fans are now wondering how Onana will be as a replacement.

Was De Gea doing enough?

Of course, some people believe that De Gea’s move away from the club is justified as he often came under criticism for his way with the ball with many accusing him of not having enough skill to sustain the team. There have also been many instances where errors were committed on his part against Brentford, West Ham and Sevilla as well as blame being shifted to him for Ilkay Gundogan’s winning goal for Man City in the FA Cup final which has caused many Manchester United fans to criticise him.

However, more recently Manchester United have come under scrutiny for their recent performances with fans now questioning whether they got rid of De Gea too soon following his heroic performances last season. De Gea has been credited throughout his time at Manchester United for his courage and aptitude which meant that he was considered a staple and reliable player for a long time. On top of this, De Gea has been incredibly successful with Man United as he won a number of career trophies with the team. He won one FA Cup in 2015-16, besides being a runner-up in 2022-23 and two EFL Cups in 2016-17 and 2022-23. He also won three Community Shields in 2011, 2013, and 2016 as well as one Europa League in 2016-17. In addition, De Gea would always be hard to replace given the contribution he has given to the Red Devils, his presence in the changing room and his intimate bonds with his teammates have pulled the team out of trouble time and again. He would regularly organise poker omaha amongst the staff at the club and regularly dined out together in the heart of Manchester.

Which keeper had better statistics?

In terms of statistics, in the 2022-23 Premier League season, De Gea made 38 appearances, keeping the highest number of clean sheets which came in at 17. With over one hundred saves, De Gea managed to make a pass completion of 68.33% and made 1,371 passes. Although he managed to take back one penalty, he also made two critical mistakes which led to a goal from the opposing team. On the other hand, in the 2022-23 Series A season, Onana appeared 25 times and managed to complete 722 passes out of 912 attempts, clocking a pass accuracy of 79.17%. With 14 clearances and 62 saves, he impressively made 39 saves from inside the box and saved two penalties.

In this regard, Onana has incredible potential as a goalkeeper as became the best goalkeeper at his age group at a young age. Furthermore, unlike De Gea, Onana possesses the attributes that Ten Hag desires in a keeper for his preferred style of play. Throughout his career as a goalkeeper, De Gea was always noticed for being unconfident around the ball and panicking at times. However, Onana maintains a calm, collected and self-assured demeanour when he is in charge of the ball. This could not only help the team achieve victory but also breath new life into the existing players and motivate them to do better.

Overall, while De Gea has been a valuable player for Man United for over a decade, it seems that Onana is ultimately suited to Man United’s style of play as he possesses a number of strengths. Although De Gea has been a valuable player for Manchester United, it seems that it is time to embrace a new era for the team with Onana leading them thanks to his risk taking nature and his upbeat mentality.