LONDON: Andre Onana faces a potentially make-or-break match for his Manchester United career against Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday as the English giants battle to keep their season alive.

The Cameroon international goalkeeper made himself the main talking point ahead of the first leg of the quarter-final in France, which ended in a 2-2 draw, boldly claiming United were `way better` than their opponents.

That prompted a salty reply from former United midfielder Nemanja Matic, now with Lyon, who labelled him `one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United`s history`.

Onana was given a hostile reception by fans in France and his words came back to haunt him when he was at fault for both of the goals United conceded.

United manager Ruben Amorim dropped him for Sunday`s trip to Newcastle United, bringing in back-up goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, but the game ended in a 4-1 defeat, with the Turkey international at fault for the fourth goal.

But Amorim told his pre-match press conference that Onana would be back in goal on Thursday for the high-stakes game at Old Trafford, where defeat would effectively end United`s season, with nothing left to play for in the Premier League.

Victory would keep United on track to win the Europa League, which would be a passport into the lucrative Champions League for next season.

`Onana will play tomorrow...

As a coach and former player, I try to do things that can help a player in this situation,` Amorimtold reporters on Wednesday.

`Sometimes we talk about managing players physically but we also talk about managing them mentally. We had one weekend where I felt it was better for Andre Onana not to play and a good thing for Altay to play.

`I`m trying to be clear on things and try to make the evaluation really simple and not overthink it... He had one weekend to rest, now he`s ready to return to the competition and I chose Andre to start this game.

United, with Erik ten Hag then at the helm, paid around 47 million ($62 million) to sign Onana from Inter Milan in 2023 as a replacement for David de Gea. Ten Hag, who had previously worked with the goal-keeper at Ajax, talked up his ball-playing skills.

The 29-year-old has shown flashes of brilliance with his glove work during his time at Old Trafford and has occasionally demonstrated his ability with the ball at his feet. But he has lacked consistency and has developed an unwanted reputation as a calamity `keeper.

What is beyond doubt is the importance of Thursday`s match at Old Trafford.

United are an embarrassing 14th in the Premier League with just six matches left and could conceivably end up in 17th spot, just above the relegation places.

That would be their lowest finish since they were relegated from the top division in the1973/74 season.

Amorim still has a chance to end United`s turbulent campaign with a European trophy, which could prove transformative as he rebuilds.

But whether Onana remains central to his plans both in the short term and the long term remains to be seen.

`We need to improve every position on the field. Goalkeeper is the same, we can work with Andre,` Amorim said, when pressed on whether United would need to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer transfer window.

`[In the close season] we are going to make that evaluation for any position in the squad. If we are talking about mistakes, you can see my record. My record is the worst one in our team. So I`m also underperforming and I think I`m the right guy to coach the team. So I think the same for Andre.

Like United, their Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur`s season also hinges on their second leg against 2022 winners Eintracht Frankfurt with the tie delicately poised after a 1-1 draw in London.

Spurs are desperate to win amid a calamitous season which has them lounging in 15th place in the Premier League.

Athletic Bilbao, beaten finalists in 1977 and 2012, are aiming to reach the semi-finals of a European competition for the third time in their history when they face Rangers after a 0-0 draw in the first leg at their San Mames Stadium, the venue for this season`s final.

In the other last-eight clash, Norwegians Bodo/Glimt take a 2-0 advantage to Rome`s Stadio Olimpico where they face Lazio.-Agencies