Ruben Amorim's goalkeeper dilemma has parallels with 2005 for Man Utd 😓 | OneFootball

A late goalkeeper howler in the first leg of a European knockout tie costs Manchester United. Ahead of the second leg, the manager makes a big call — a change in goal. It makes little difference. United go out.

Stop if this is starting to sound worryingly familiar. There are some differences between 2005 and 2025, of course — in competition, context, and characters.

Back in what was the grimmest year of Sir Alex Ferguson's glory days — just weeks before the Glazer takeover — United limped to third in the league and crashed out of the Champions League at the round of 16 for the second straight season. It was then seen, rightly, as a failure.

Now, United are just desperate to be in Europe’s top competition for a myriad of reasons – to somewhat save a wretched campaign, to kickstart the Ruben Amorim era, and to boost their budget ahead of yet another big summer at Old Trafford.

In terms of characters, for Roy Carroll and Tim Howard in 2005, see André Onana and Altay Bayındır in 2025.

Fergie notoriously struggled to replace Peter Schmeichel following his departure in 1999, moving through a collection of keepers before landing on the Northern Irishman and American as a duo in 2003.

Howard was first-choice, and impressed right away, making the PFA Team of the Year, but his United career never recovered from a last-minute clanger in the round of 16 against Porto that sent United out of Europe, and saw José Mourinho famously run down the touchline.

A year on at the same stage, Carroll was in goal for a blockbuster clash with Milan, but suffered a similar fate, dropping a long-range shot right in front of Hernán Crespo, who fired home. Howard returned for the second leg, but United again lost 1-0 and bowed out.

📸 Alex Livesey - 2005 Getty Images

Onana’s debut season last year was iffy to say the least, but it was in Europe where the “dodgy keeper” tag would be attached. The Cameroonian, who had Champions League pedigree with both Ajax and Inter, made a series of shocking errors as Erik ten Hag presided over an abysmal bottom-placed group finish.

In Lyon last week, Nemanja Matić had the last laugh as Onana hit a new low, gifting both goals in a chaotic 2-2 draw. He was “rested” for the rout at Newcastle, with his wife being robbed only adding to a very tough week for the keeper. Bayındır amplified the uncertainty with a blunder of his own on a chastening Premier League debut.

With so much at stake at Old Trafford on Thursday, Amorim’s choice in goal could be absolutely pivotal in the outcome of the quarter-final tie.

As for the long-term, like Howard or Carroll, Onana and Bayındır do not appear cut out for one of the toughest jobs in English football. Unlike in 2005, though, there are no obvious safe hands like Edwin van der Sar waiting in the wings.

📸 Michael Steele - 2025 Getty Images