Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be decisive in Matchweek 33.
Player analysis - Andre Onana (Man Utd)
If recent patterns continue, Manchester United goalkeeper Onana will be kept busy at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday.
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Across the last 10 Premier League matches, Erik ten Hag’s side have been remarkably loose out of possession, conceding an incredible 237 shots.
Many of those have been wayward or blocked, but 65 have hit the target, with Onana producing a creditable 48 saves.
Without his excellent shot-stopping during this challenging spell, Man Utd would certainly have picked up less than the 17 points than they accrued.
Keeping them in the race for European football in 2024/25, Onana is sure to be a key man once again at Vitality Stadium.
Impressive first season
Very few of Ten Hag’s squad will look back on 2023/24 fondly, but Onana can hold his head high.
He experienced some difficult moments early in the season while acclimatising to his new surroundings, but his general performance levels have been impressive.
His comfort playing out from the back was a primary reason why Onana was identified to be David De Gea’s successor, and while that aspect of his play has shone, it is his save-making skills that have sparkled brightest.
His reflexes are superb, parrying away a stream of efforts, and his penchant for catching the ball while making a save has also caught the eye.
Only Emiliano Martinez and Jose Sa, with 36 and 32 respectively, have caught more shots than Onana's 30, who will also be pleased to rank inside the division’s top five for save percentages.
Goalkeepers with best save ratio 23/24
| Player | Save ratio |
|---|---|
| Alisson | 74.32% |
| Nick Pope | 73.58% |
| Alphonse Areola | 72.70% |
| Andre Onana | 71.95% |
| Caoimhin Kelleher | 71.79% |
*Min. 10 starts
Interestingly, Onana is the only 'keeper from that save ratio list to feature in arguably the more important goalkeeping category; goals prevented.
Excluding penalty-kicks and own goals conceded, he has stopped an extra 5.7 goals being conceded by United so far this season, according to Opta.
Most goals prevented 23/24
| Player | Goals prevented |
|---|---|
| Guglielmo Vicario | 7 |
| Andre Onana | 5.7 |
| Jose Sa | 5.6 |
| Emiliano Martinez | 5.6 |
| Neto | 3.9 |
Of the 38 'keepers to have saved at least one shot on target, only 17 have prevented more goals than they have been expected to concede, with the rest in minus territory.
Two Premier League debutants feature highest on this roll of honour, with Tottenham Hotspur’s Guglielmo Vicario and Onana leading the way as it stands.
Bournemouth stopper Neto has also been highly influential and is enjoying a superb season.
Being kept busy
One of the most unexpected stats of this 2023/24 season is that despite entering this weekend sixth in the table, only Sheffield United, with 560, have faced more shots than Man Utd's 554.
Having the third highest Expected Goals Against figure too, Onana has been extraordinarily active.
An outstanding reaction save to deny Erling Haaland from close range at Old Trafford and his magnificent low stoop to his right to keep out an effort from Brentford’s Mads Roerslev are two standout moments (see below).
But over the course of the season, Onana has consistently kept his side in matches with his agility.
He has got down quickly to make some difficult stops by his feet, but many of his key moments also came when Onana stood tall, reacting quickly to strikes aimed a little higher within the framework of the goal.
Below is a visual representation of the saves he has made, along with the goals conceded.
Cherries test
United make the long journey south in a quest to avenge an 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford back in December.
Ten Hag reveals team news for Saturday
A couple of turnover goals and a header from a corner humbled the Red Devils that day, with an exposed Onana helpless to stop three clinical finishes.
When he joined from Internazionale Milano, Onana would not have expected to have been the Premier League 'keeper with the most saves after 31 appearances, but he should take pride and confidence from the way he has reacted.
Shots on target faced/saves/goals conceded
| Player | Shots on target faced | Saves | Goals conceded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Kaminski | 180 | 119 | 65 |
| Wes Foderingham | 169 | 108 | 63 |
| James Trafford | 168 | 106 | 62 |
| Andre Onana | 164 | 120 | 46 |
| Bernd Leno | 162 | 112 | 51 |
If United’s off-the-ball work in front of him does not display improved robustness, Onana will be caught in the eye of another storm this weekend.
Scoring in 10 of their last 11 matches, Bournemouth contain plenty of goal threats, but United will take comfort from having the agile Onana as their last line of defence.
