Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has issued a rallying cry to his teammates ahead of their Europa League quarter-final first leg against Lyon on Thursday.
The competition represents United only hope of saving a season that will go down as possibly the worst in the modern era, should they not get over the line in Europe.
As reported by the Independent, Onana says United are now fully focused on the job in hand, after their Manchester Derby draw with City on Sunday.
“100 per cent (focused). We all know the importance of this game, so we will go there with a winning mentality. It’s not our best season but we still have something big to win, so we will go for it,” he said.
Furthermore, the Cameroonian expects United to get past their Ligue 1 opponents and is confident of securing a positive result in France this week.
“It’s (Lyon) a very good team, we know some of them, but I don’t think we have to focus about them. It’s more about us, what we’re going to do. I think we are better than them, we just have to go there and show who we are,” said Onana.
The United stopper clearly feels there is a gap in quality between the two sides and urged his teammates go into the game with the right mentality and the result will take care of itself.
“If we go there with a winning mentality and we are focused, we stay compact, together and we follow the game plan, we will be winning the game.
Of course, it’s not going to be easy, but I think we are way better than them,” he said.
Onana’s comments might not have been the wisest in the build up to such a big game and they run the risk of having fired up the Lyon camp, who will be fancying an upset over the two legs.
Paulo Fonseca’s side are in good form and the home fans will no doubt create a raucous atmosphere that United will have to deal with on the night.
United, and Onana in particular, have suffered some horrifying moments in Europe over the last 18 months and the ‘keeper will have to be at his best for the remainder of the of the season in order for it to end with silverware.
United’s campaign hinges on the upcoming tie and Ruben Amorim will be well aware of the importance of getting back to Old Trafford with a positive result.
Featured image by Carl Recine via Getty Images
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Conner Botterill
Conner Botterill has been with The Peoples Person for two years. A keen match-going red with degrees in Sport and Journalism and Philosophy and Psychology, Conner still believes he has a chance of making United’s first team through his 5-a-side career.
