After watching Manchester United’s latest pre-season game against Real Madrid in the early hours of Wednesday morning, many fans have been left divided over their new goalkeeper André Onana’s performance on his debut.
Man United ultimately lost the game 2-0 after conceding both an early goal and one in the dying embers, and while the Cameroonian keeper showed plenty of positive signs throughout the match, it was hardly the result the Reds were looking for on his first outing.
The Spaniards opened the scoring inside the first six minutes after a long ball over the top and in behind the United defence left them chasing back, at which point Onana decided to come out to the edge of his box and pressure the on-running Jude Bellingham.
Unfortunately for him, the young English star had the calmness and composure to dink the ball over the 27-year-old to score his first finish for Madrid and while it was ultimately found to have been offside, the goal still stood and one of Onana’s first actions in red ended with him being chipped on his debut.
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) July 27, 2023
What a way to announce yourself but a moment to forget for Onana on his United debut.
To little surprise, Bellingham went on to win man of the match overall after shining throughout the game and although the goal should have been ruled out, it left many supporters watching at home debating whether Onana should have rushed out or stayed on his line.
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His positioning throughout the game, in fact, was highlighted throughout, with the pundits commentating on MUTV remarking: “It was interesting to watch him play so high. We’ve never had a United goalkeeper come 10-15 yards outside his box.”
Ex-pro Danny Webber was one of many who went on to note that “it’s an added benefit that he can come out and play with his feet”, with some even describing his passing distribution as “outrageous”, taking plenty of comfort in some impressive stats over the course of the 90.
Andre Onana showed a new way of playing he’ll unlock for #MUFC with high positioning + confident passing.
Erik ten Hag: “Definitely there are principles but he’s a keeper who can be used as a plus one in the back, so we will in our strategy put that in.”https://t.co/s7VKJKtaNApic.twitter.com/z402ETYxZk
One person tweeted, “The goal was absolutely his fault you have to do better there his distribution is great but as a goalkeeper and keeping the ball out of the net, I think he’s no better than [David] de Gea“. On the other hand, Onana did make two very decent reflex saves in the game, to his credit.
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Then came the second goal from 33-year-old former Stoke and Newcastle striker, Joselu, who produced an absolutely exquisite bicycle kick in the 89th minute which would have caught most keepers off guard and simply left Onana wrong-footed.
A few people on social media suggested that he should have come out to claim the cross (a criticism that was often levelled at de Gea) or at least attempted to get a hand to it given it was at his near post, but you won’t find many shot-stoppers with the reflexes to keep out finishes like this. What a goal.
Ultimately, these knee-jerk reactions to Onana’s first game in United colours are just that, and getting through your debut against one of the best teams in the world scot-free was an extremely tall order.
Moreover, judging anyone on their first game at a new club when they’ve barely had any time to even train with their new teammates, let alone play a competitive match, seems pretty harsh and premature.
Even still, his manager and former Ajax coach seemed content, as ten Hag said: “I think good. Solid. Two very good saves. He was there in the moment when the team needed him, he did his job. He integrated well in our team.” It’s a long old season so fans will have to see how he settles in.
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You can watch the highlights down below and decide for yourself:
Stockport drop first collection in County Classics retro range
Danny Jones
Stockport County have finally released the first drop in their previously teased ‘County Classics’ retro fashion collection.
The Greater Manchester football club are enjoying a great resurgence of late, currently sitting fourth in the table and unbeaten in League One, not to mention boasting three wins on the bounce; it’s a great time to be a Hatter.
Somewhat secondary, of course, but they’ve also got a great selection of well-received shirts this year, too, with all three of their 2025/26 kits inspired by a precious part of their heritage.
Clearly going down a hit, they’ve decided to double down on the nostalgia factor and reignite the vintage spirit of their famous 1996/97 campaign and THAT legendary home shirt.
Speaking on the release, County said in a club statement: “County Classics isn’t just a product range – it’s a series. A journey through time.
“Each drop will revive another era, another shirt, another story that shaped the club we love. This is more than nostalgia. It’s the heartbeat of County history, reimagined for today.”
We already can’t wait to see which iconic kit they tap into next; our money is on the 91/92 away strip that they paid homage to just last season.
Unsurprisingly, numbers of each piece have been snapped up in a flash, with supporters, rivals and neutrals alike dubbing the casual wear and retro footy shirt reissue everything from “amazing” to “sickeningly cool”, with plenty already asking for a restock.
You get a closer look at the collection in full down below.
Credit: Stockport County FC (supplied)
The retro ’90s style training line has completely sold out already, but there are still towels and bucket hats, as well as some of the retro County kit itself left.
With the ‘Back to 1996’ star priced at £50 and the likes of bucket hats costing just £20, you can expect to see plenty of Stopfordians wearing the new gear at Edgeley Park this season and, indeed, for many years to come.
If these classic football shirts and pieces of lifestyle fashion have tickled your fancy, you can see what they have left and grab your item(s) of choice right HERE.
What old County look would you like to see the club recreate next as part of the Classics range, Hatters?
Manchester City hit with backlash from season ticket holders after ‘divisive’ North Stand update
Danny Jones
Manchester City have shared a new update on the impending North Stand expansion and concourse upgrade, but the most recent reveal has been met with plenty of backlash from supporters set to suffer the consequences.
The Etihad is currently undergoing a major transformation that will see numerous new facilities added to the wider campus experience – most notably the increased capacity of the North Stand, which will make room for a further 7,000 or so fans.
Back in March, the club revealed the official brand partners for their upcoming on-site hotel, which will also accompany a new sky bar and rooftop stadium walk experience as part of the wider plans, but while adding more seats and things for matchgoers to do sounds good on paper, it’s come at a cost for many.
Reacting to the news of social media, many regular fans are now set to be forced out of their seats to make way for more hospitality sections at the end of the stadium, meaning the post has proved ‘divisive’ to say the least.
Are you joking? I’ve sat in the same seat for almost 20 years and this is how I find out I’m ‘relocating’. It’s an absolute disgrace the way you’re treating loyal fans in favour of tourists. I was there when we were shit, do you think they will be here if we go to shit again?
As you can see, both Blues, neutrals, and even rivals alike are expressing their shock and disappointment in not only the decision but the manner in which the announcement was made.
One person said on X: “You turfed me and hundreds of others out of our seats four seasons ago when you dug them up for digital signage. We were all split up and had to scrape around for new seats. Had enough of all the new rules and digital tickets/transfers. I sit on my sofa now and save £3k.
Reply in the comments underneath the response, a Manchester United fan added: “I don’t like City, but this is something I can stand with [fans] on.”
Even well-known online commentators like ‘HLTCO’ (Hopkin Looking To Curl One), a.k.a. Dan Cook – a notable Crystal Palace die-hard – shared his two cents online.
“Man City season ticket holders are being told that they’re being permanently moved from the seats they’ve had for years to accommodate a new corporate seating area”, he wrote, adding: “This is the sort of thing that fans everywhere have to push back against; these clubs see us as a nuisance.”
In terms of what the stadium overhaul looks like, the latest CGIs show the first proper glimpse of the new ‘Cross Bar’ that will “offer a relaxed, social atmosphere” for around 300 fans, as well as the new ‘City Hall’ concourse area, which will cater to around 500 punters both on game-days and beyond.
As detailed in the full statement on the club website, they have insisted that they will be supporting those “may need to move seats ahead of the commencement of the 2026/27”, clarifying that no one will need to be relocated to accommodate the Cross Bar, specifically.
They go on to add: “We understand that relocating seats may be unsettling, and we are here to support these fans”. They have promised things like a “priority relocation window” and, most crucially, a guarantee that they won’t have to pay more to sit in what is typically a more expensive stadium block.
However, while they have also assured that people will be able to move groups of seats so as to stay around their friends, as explained by a user above, this is easier said than done and ticket uncertainty remains a big concern among the fan base.
What do you make of the latest Etihad Stadium news, City fans?
Danny Jones -
27th July 2023 
