‘Incredible’: Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland praise one Manchester United player after derby

In another painful derby matchup, Manchester City secured a 3-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Back in January, there was optimism after United’s 2-1 win over City at Old Trafford. However, this past Sunday’s result brought forth numerous negatives, highlighting that the gap between the two teams remains unclosed under Erik ten Hag’s leadership.

Amid the disappointment, one shining aspect was the performance of Andre Onana.

Andre Onana delivered a remarkable display, making seven saves for Manchester United against City, significantly contributing to keeping the scoreline from ballooning.

One of his standout moments was a spectacular two-handed diving save to deflect an Erling Haaland header from point-blank range at the end of the first half.

Pep Guardiola, City’s manager, commended this save and said, “Erling had an incredible chance at the end of the first half, and Onana makes an incredible save.”

Guardiola also praised his own goalkeeper, Ederson, for a great save on a Scott McTominay effort at the other end.

Striker Erling Haaland also acknowledged Andre Onana’s performance and highlighted his saves, particularly one in the second half.

He remarked, “It was an incredible save right before half-time. He did another fantastic save in the second half when I chipped it, he saved it with his head. It is what it is. We won.”

While Onana stood out as one of Manchester United’s best players on the pitch, this fact underscored the struggles of the outfield players during the match.

Onana’s crucial penalty save against Copenhagen in midweek likely boosted his confidence and can potentially serve as a turning point in his United career.

It is encouraging to witness his strong performance, as he has maintained solidity since the international break. If he continues to perform at this level, it alleviates one concern for Erik ten Hag, who faces challenges across the rest of the squad.