Africa News of Tuesday, 1 August 2023
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2023-08-01Ex-England star Agbonlahor slams Andre Onana for 'picking on easy target' Harry Maguire
Manchester Utd goalie Andre Onana and ex-English international Gabriel Agbonlahor
Former English international Gabriel Agbonlahor has opined that Man United goalie Andre Onana screamed at Harry Maguire during their friendly against Borussia Dortmund because the latter is an 'easy target'.
The former Aston Villa man explained that, Maguire did not deserve to be screamed at because he did not cause the mistake that led to the reaction from Onana.
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Agbonlahor said he does not subscribe to Onana's action while questioning whether the former Inter Milan would do the same to Lisandro Martinez.
"First of all, Harry Maguire did do anything wrong. He played the ball to a midfielder and the midfielder gave it away. And I feel like he is the easy target and I don't like that from Onana. Are you going to do that to Martinez? Are you going to rush to him like that? I think Maguire is an easy target and I didn't like the look of that. I would understand it if it was a big mistake and caused a goal or it was Harry Maguire's fault then fair enough. But I want to see the same energy for every player from him," he told TalkSports.
Agbonlahor, who feels Onana was picking on Maguire, demanded that the Cameroonian does the same to every player.
"As long as he is doing it to everyone. If Martinez does the same thing he is quite one of the leaders there who do it to everyone. Don't just see Maguire as he has gone through that phase of life that Man United fans on social media are like leave, leave, leave. He is not going to react to that, I think we know Harry Maguire is thinking, keep a low profile and fight for my place. So I didn't like it and it wasn't a mistake by Harry Maguire," he added.
Maguire misplaced a pass in the build-up as Dortmund almost scored from the turnover but Onana made a save from the initial shot before the rebound from Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko went out for a goal kick.
Onana, immediately after the ball went out, rushed and screamed at Harry Maguire for giving the ball away which almost led to a goal.
"I try to talk to them a lot because I know he's a good player, he is one of the captains of the team. That’s big and he is good with the ball, so I would demand [from] him a lot and he’s a good, great guy," Onana explained his actions after the game.
Manchester United eventually lost 3-2 in the pre-season game on July 21, 2023, at Allegiant Stadium in USA.
EE/KPE