By KBC Associate 
Established first-choice goalkeeper Andre Onana was left out of Manchester United’s squad for their match against Newcastle in the Premier League on April 13.
Cameroon international Onana had been ever present in the 2024/25 top flight but came under scrutiny after United’s 2-2 draw at Lyon in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals three days earlier.
Manager Ruben Amorim spoke before and after the trip to Newcastle about his decision, which led to debate over whether deputy Altay Bayindir will retain his place for the second leg against the Ligue 1 side at Old Trafford on Thursday (20:00 BST).
Here’s the latest on Onana’s prospects of returning and what’s been said, including the views of United legend Roy Keane.
🗣️ “He was ok because I explained.”
Ruben Amorim explains his decision to leave Andre Onana out of the Manchester United side ❌ pic.twitter.com/gagvzl9eSt
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 13, 2025
Will Andre Onana play for Man United vs Lyon?
Speaking before kick-off against Newcastle, Amorim said he wanted Onana to “disconnect” and called the mental aspect of the game “really, really important”.
The Portuguese would not confirm who would start in goal against Lyon after the 4-1 defeat at St James’ Park, only replying that he would “choose the best starting 11”.
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson said he did not expect Onana to immediately return. “The whole narrative about him potentially playing on Thursday just softens the blow and leaves the door open,” Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He’s going to play again at some point, but you don’t take him out for one game and all of a sudden expect him to be at the top of his game.”
Roy Keane comments on the news that André Onana isn’t in the Manchester United squad for the Newcastle game 💭 pic.twitter.com/0HFE5zc9YC
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 13, 2025
Ex-United midfielder Keane disagreed. “The manager’s made it clear that it’s for one game,” the seven-time Premier League winner with the club said on Sky Sports.
“That’s not a bad idea. [Amorim’s] hardly going to come up with a new goalkeeper with such a big game coming up. There’s no doubt in my mind, like the manager’s said, that [Onana] will play in Europe.”
Onana has started nine of United’s 11 matches in their unbeaten Europa League campaign this season, keeping one clean sheet.
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Will Altay Bayindir replace Onana against Lyon?
Turkiye international Bayindir started United’s 2-1 home win over Rangers and 2-0 win over FCSB in Bucharest during the league phase.
But his chances of starting again may have been weakened by the 27-year-old’s Premier League debut to forget at Newcastle, where Sandro Tonali opened the scoring and the Magpies struck three times within 29 second-half minutes.
Altay Bayındır’s ball is intercepted by Joelinton and Bruno Guimarães is there to finish it off 🎯 pic.twitter.com/FpKEAI75uR
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 13, 2025
Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes completed the 4-1 win with a composed finish after Joelinton intercepted a Bayindir ball.
“It’s absolutely too risky,” Keane said of Bayindir’s attempted pass. “At the highest level – the really top players – it’s about your decision making.
“That basic mistake… honestly, I can’t understand it. If you lose it there, you know what’s going to happen. That’s just common sense.”
Bayindir also made a mistake when he started the EFL Cup defeat at Tottenham on Deccember 30, allowing a Son Heung-min corner to sail over him and in.
Roy Keane comments on the news that André Onana isn’t in the Manchester United squad for the Newcastle game 💭 pic.twitter.com/0HFE5zc9YC
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 13, 2025
Why was Andre Onana dropped by Man United?
Onana endured a testing build-up to the game at Lyon, with OL’s former United midfielder Nemanja Matic using his press conference to call the former Ajax regular “one of the worst goalkeepers in Man United’s history”.
The 29-year-old made errors for both of the goals he conceded in the match, including one to allow Rayan Cherki to equalise with the last kick of the game.
His total of eight mistakes in the Premier League since arriving from Inter for £47.2 million in July 2023 is the worst of any goalkeeper to have played in the division since his arrival, according to TalkSPORT.
“He’s certainly under pressure,” observed Keane. “If you’re a goalkeeper and you make a mistake that leads to a goal, you’re going to be criticised.
LYON WITH A LATE GOAL! 💥
Andre Onana’s save is spilled into a dangerous area and Rayan Cherki makes no mistake ⚽
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/63a9d5BJs1
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 10, 2025
“He’s done OK in the league. United defensively, actually, haven’t been too bad. The big problem is going forward – they don’t score enough goals. The ‘keeper has made some big mistakes and been punished for it.
“Goalkeeper’s a huge position and you don’t want to be rotating. It’s good to give the keeper a couple of days off to recharge the batteries physically and mentally.”
Andre Onana Man United stats
Onana has kept 23 clean sheets in 94 United appearances, including 10 in 43 games this season while conceding 56 times.
He won six trophies with Ajax between 2018 and 2022, including a hat-trick of Dutch titles under manager Erik ten Hag, who would sign him after becoming United boss.
Onana also won the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana with Inter, as well as reaching the 2022/23 Champions League final.
Andre Onana won’t want to see that again 🫣
A gift from the United keeper and Reading old-boy Matej Vydra pounces to put Plzen ahead 😱
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/fHlsdddhgp
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 12, 2024
Altay Bayindir stats
Bayindir has made 166 career appearances and kept 53 clean sheets, including one in eight games since joining United from Fenerbahce for £4.3m in September 2023.
United’s first ever Turkish player won the third-tier title in his homeland with MKE Ankaragucu in 2017 and the Turkish Cup with Fenerbahce in 2023.