Scholes tells Man Utd stars to ‘keep the ball away’ from flop as Red Devils player aims dig at fans
Man Utd legend Paul Scholes told the Red Devils to “keep the ball away” from Andre Onana before their Europa League quarter-final clash against Lyon.
The Red Devils came minutes away from an almost certain exit from the Europa League after ten-man Lyon took a two-goal lead in extra-time to make it 4-2 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate.
However, a stunning comeback saw Man Utd score three goals in seven minutes through Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire to secure their place in the Europa League semi-finals.
Onana remained in the spotlight for the Red Devils after conceding four goals against the French opposition with the Cameroon international reinstated into the starting XI following Ruben Amorim’s decision to drop him for their 4-1 defeat to Newcastle.
The former Ajax and Inter Milan goalkeeper was at fault for both of Lyon’s goals in the first leg and Man Utd legend Scholes advised the Red Devils to try and avoid giving Onana the ball.
Assessing the Red Devils’ hopes of beating Lyon before the match, Scholes urged Man Utd to follow his advice, he said: “Keep the ball away from him.
“Honestly, don’t even pass it back to him… get the ball up to (Rasmus) Hojlund.”
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Fellow Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand added on Onana: “I liked playing with keepers who I don’t want to see or hear much. I don’t want to worry about them.
“The thing is when confidence goes you need to play games and no one talk about you. You don’t want the spotlight on you in games.”
Many Man Utd fans left as Lyon scored their fourth goal and Joshua Zirkzee – who is out until the end of the season through injury – had a dig at those suppoters in a message on Instagram.
Alongside a video of the joyous scenes, Zirkzee wrote: “To all the fans who left when we were down. Have a listen to this.”
When asked if it was the best win he’d had in football, Amorim told reporters in his post-match press conference: “It is hard to say. In here and the sound of the last two goals were amazing, that is something we can keep for future, it was a good feeling but, in the end of the game, [if] you go to semi-finals, you need to win it.
“If you go to the semi-finals and you don’t win it, it is the same feeling. We need to focus on next stage and try to win competition.”
On how it feels to be a football manager in chaotic moments like the end of Thursday night, Amorim added: “I think that is why we like this sport so much, all the frustration that a coach has in this season, the bad moments. When you have moments like this, it is all worth it.
“But then you finish the game, you calm down, and you realise we have a game on Sunday. Then we have to see how the players are and if they are fit to play because we have to focus a lot on the Europa League.”
