Man United supervisor Ruben Amorim makes main Andre Onana choice earlier than Europa League decider – as he reveals a star’s season is over

Andre Onana will return in goal for Manchester United against Lyon at Old Trafford on Thursday night, with head coach Ruben Amorim admitting that only time will tell if it is the right decision.

Onana came under fire for both goals United conceded in the 2-2 draw in France last week and was rested for Sunday’s defeat at Newcastle where No.2 Altay Bayindir made his Premier League debut.

Amorim confirmed that the Cameroonian will return for the second leg, saying: ‘Onana will play tomorrow. I just think first of all as a coach and also as a former player, I try to do things that can help a player in this situation.

‘So sometimes we talk about managing players physically. We have to manage them also mentally, but they have to return to competition. Onana is ready. He had one weekend that I felt it was better for him to not play and a good thing for Altay to play, and this week my thinking was to put Onana to play.’

However, he admitted that the wisdom of his decision rests on how Onana plays. ‘That is not just the dilemma, this is the big factor on being a coach: everything you do has two ways,’ added the United boss.

‘If he is going to be really good tomorrow, I am sure of that, but if it is the other way, people will say it is a bad decision. We never know. I am trying to be clear on things, try to make the evaluation, be really simple, not overthinking.

Andre Onana will be back in goal for Man United’s must-win match with Lyon on Thursday

Onana made two high-profile errors in last week’s 2-2 draw in Lyon and was dropped for the weekend trip to Newcastle

Ruben Amorim has confirmed Onana will return when United face Lyon at Old Trafford

‘When I imagine the game, I see Andre Onana, he had one weekend of rest, now he is ready to return to competition and I chose Andre to start this game.’

Amorim revealed that he has spoken to Onana and to his goalkeeper coaches Jorge Vital and Craig Mawson before making the decision to bring the 29-year-old back in goal.

‘Of course, the staff is not just to be there,’ he said. ‘Of course, I have conversations and then I have my feeling as a coach, as a former player, I try to imagine the game, because they are defending at home but have different characteristics. So I make the evaluation the same way I make for the other players.

‘The other players, the way we want to play is more with me. Of course, Craig and Vital have a huge impact in my decision.

‘When I made that decision in the last week (to rest Onana for Newcastle) I talked with Andre and it’s important for me to explain and the thinking. Sometimes it’s my feeling as a coach that can make key decisions more than what they are saying to me and I feel it in the other way. I am giving just the example.

‘I have the conversation but it is my decision in the end. I have that feeling, if not, I think about the team. Andre deserves to return to competition, I’m just thinking about the game, is really important for us.’

Asked if he is sure Onana is in the right frame of mind to resume, he added: ‘Yeah, I have that feeling for sure. The team is the most important thing, I am not putting Andre because I think he deserves. I am thinking about the team.’

Meanwhile, Amorim was reluctant to be drawn over whether he will be in the market for a new goalkeeper this summer. ‘We need to improve,’ he admitted. ‘We cannot look to the team of Manchester United and say we are in this position in the league we have been really underperforming and we cannot change all the players.

Onana will get the nod over Altay Bayindir (left) after his difficult outing against Newcastle

Bayindir gave the ball away for the final goal in United’s 4-1 defeat at St James’ Park

‘We need to improve every position on the field, goalkeeper is the same. We can work with Andre. Andre Onana already proved he is a top player with Inter Milan, Altay the same with Fenerbahce. We have some seasons where we are underperforming.

‘We are going to make that evaluation for any position in the squad. You can see my record. My record is the worst in the team. I am also underperforming and I think I am the right guy to coach the team, so I think the same for Andre.’

Amorim also confirmed that Joshua Zirkzee is out for the rest of the season, but is confident Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt will return for Manchester United before the end of the campaign.

Zirkzee limped out of Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at Newcastle with a hamstring injury and Amorim admitted that he has written the Dutchman out of his plans ahead of Thursday’s Europa League second leg against Lyon at Old Trafford and the remaining six Premier League fixtures.

‘Joshua is out for the season so he is not going to play more for the season,’ he said. ‘Let’s prepare him for the next one. It is tough, especially in the moment. He has to be ready now to recover.’

However, Diallo was seen following an individual training programme at Carrington on Wednesday morning as he tries to come back from a serious ankle ligament injury before the end of the season, and De Ligt is expected to return in the near future after missing the last three games since suffering a foot injury at Nottingham Forest.

Joshua Zirkzee will not play again this season after picking up a hamstring injury

Zirkzee limped out of Sunday’s 4-1 defeat by Newcastle and will not return before the summer

Amad Diallo is expected to play again this season, but will not return this month

Jonny Evans was also back in training at Carrington but Ayden Heaven missed the session after having a minor setback in his recovery from an ankle injury.

‘He (Diallo) will not be ready this month, but we hope to have him ready this season,’ added Amorim. ‘Mattha is going to return still this season. He has some pain. We need to be sure he is in the right moment. He is working really hard and he is a tough guy.

‘Ayden is out for this game, he had a small issue in the same spot during training, an issue with the teammate. Jonny Evans is returning for training but he is not available for this game.’