Andre Onana opens up on Erik ten Hag relationship and addresses Man Utd mistakes

Andre Onana is confident Manchester United's season will improve in the new year as he continues to build a 'fantastic' relationship with manager Erik ten Hag.

The Cameroon international has been part of a United side that have endured their worst start to a campaign since 1930/31, with Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest their 14th in all competitions already. Ten Hag's side are seventh in the table and out of the Champions League after finishing bottom of their group.

Onana has been far from blameless since arriving in a £47.2million deal from Inter Milan in the summer, making a number of errors. The 27-year-old was Ten Hag's signing, with the pair enjoying success at Ajax, but believes he was signed off the back of an excellent campaign with Inter Milan rather than as the manager's previous favourite.

"I have a fantastic relationship with him [Ten Hag], together at Ajax we experienced some wonderful moments and did great things," Onana told Sky Italy. "But, as I always say, everything is earned on the pitch and I want to say that I'm definitely here because he wanted me, but also because I was the best last season.

"We shouldn't take away the credit for the work done. I'm sure that things will improve for me here in Manchester too, because when you have the ability it's only a question of time."

Onana has been under the microscope from the moment he arrived at United, having been lobbed from the halfway line in his Old Trafford debut against RC Lens in the summer. Mistakes have been regular in the six months since, including decisive blunders in Europe against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray.

Scrutiny has intensified with each mistake but Onana has regularly fronted up the criticism in the media. And the United goalkeeper insists the pressure does not phase him.

"Mistakes are part of learning, we know that people expect a lot from me and that's why they criticise me so much," he added. "But for me it's not a problem, I'm used to it.

"The same thing also happened at Inter: at the beginning they criticised me, but look how it ended... Now it's eternal love with the Nerazzurri. Manchester United is an even bigger club and the expectations are also greater, but I'm sure that by doing better and better, from now on, we will smile together as happened with Inter."