Pessimistic outlook, United's next debutant must ignore Gary Neville's theory

Gary Neville reckons being Manchester United goalkeeper is the most scrutinised role within English sport. Andre Onana might just agree with the TV pundit on that after his £47million transfer from Inter Milan this summer as he temporarily prepares to hand over the gloves at Old Trafford. United could have made the transition easier for themselves, though. Erik ten Hag revamped his goalkeeping unit entirely this summer when allowing long-serving David De Gea to leave.

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Onana was brought in as No.1 with Altay Bayindir and Academy graduate Tom Heaton serving as back-up to the Cameroon international. Ten Hag must decide who will stand between the posts now Onana is away on AFCON duty. His delayed flight to the Ivory Coast was as complicated as United have made the process to cover him. Onana has played every minute for the club this season, leaving his two deputies feeling rusty.

Due to their pre-arranged winter break and Onana jetting over to the AFCON showcase later than planned, United might only be without their No.1 for between two and four games depending on how Cameroon fare. That includes their next match in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday, January 29. Newport and non-league Eastleigh will do battle for a second time for the right to play United in that TV meeting. With respect to those two clubs, that might be the ideal introduction to the English game for Bayindir, well on the basis all goes to plan for him.

The ex-Fenerbahce stopper has yet to make his debut following a summer move. United have had chances to do so, but Ten Hag instead opted to play Onana in early-season Carabao Cup games in order to sharpen his confidence between the sticks. On one hand, Onana needed that exposure as things have not been plain sailing for him. Far from it, truth be told, but his understudy was equally in need of minutes and casting him aside has ramped up the pressure more in what is already a scrutinised position not for the faint-hearted.

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That particular job, though, is anything but a walk in the park. "I've said it before, Manchester United goalkeeper is the toughest position in Premier League football," said former United captain turned pundit Neville when debating the club's decision to replace De Gea with Onana. Onana would no doubt testify to that. Even as a stop-gap No.1 while AFCON continues, Bayindir was always going to similarly come under the microscope himself, but delaying his debut has made it even harder for the goalkeeper to ignore Neville's theory.