Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has labelled Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana as "an exceptional player" ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
Following the departure of David de Gea, Onana joined the Red Devils for around £45m in the summer after spending one season at Serie A giants Inter Milan.
The 27-year-old kept 19 clean sheets in 41 games for Inter across all competitions in 2022-23 and made his final appearance for the club in the Champions League final defeat to Man City in June.
Onana has since experienced a difficult start to life at Man United and has come under fire from supporters having made several mistakes, including some leading to goals conceded.
However, the Cameroon shot-stopper enjoyed a night of redemption on Tuesday as he made a number of crucial saves and kept a clean sheet in United's 1-0 Champions League group-stage win over Copenhagen, dramatically saving a last-minute penalty to keep the Red Devils' hopes of reaching the knockout rounds alive.
Onana is expected to start between the sticks for Man United in the 191st Manchester derby on Sunday, and ahead of the contest, City boss Guardiola has both praised and sympathised with the goalkeeper, who was in Barcelona's academy during the final two years of Guardiola's reign as senior manager at Camp Nou.
"I remember we have a common friend who spoke very highly of him (at Barcelona) but personally I met him in Amsterdam," Guardiola said at a press conference on Friday.
"He's an exceptional player and now at [Man] United. Everyone needs time (to adapt to the Premier League), not just the managers but players, keepers. Everyone. Sometimes people are quicker but I have a high opinion of him as a keeper."
Onana was an integral member of the Inter squad en route to the Champions League final last season, keeping a tournament-best eight clean sheets as well as making a few key saves to keep the Nerazzurri in the showpiece event with Man City before Rodri netted the match-winning strike.
Asked if he is worried that Onana could perform as he did in the Champions League against Man City on Sunday, Guardiola said: "Hopefully not, hopefully we can beat him, but before the game I always expect the best of the players we are going to face.
"I prefer to see the strengths than the weakness they have. He saved a pen in the last minute which helped them to stay in contention to qualify for the last 16. Mentally it's a good boost for them."
Since joining Man United, Onana has kept only four clean sheets in 13 matches across all competitions, including just two in his first nine Premier League appearances.
Erik ten Hag hailed Onana's performance after the midweek victory over Copenhagen, and the Red Devils will need another high-quality display from their new number one if they are to claim a positive result against a Man City side against whom they have lost five of their last seven meetings.
Guardiola is expecting another difficult game against an "always dangerous" Man United side, who currently sit eighth in the Premier League table, six points behind Man City in second place. body check tags ::
