Man United will take on Manchester City in the Manchester derby this weekend and Ruben Amorim has already confirmed a starter.
Ruben Amorim spoke to the media on Friday.(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)
Ruben Amorim has already confirmed Altay Bayindir will start for Manchester United against Manchester City.
Explaining the decision at his press conference on Friday, Amorim said: "It is the same thing I do with different positions, but Altay is going to continue. It is a different league, different country, different training, different ball [for Senne Lammens]. So they will fight for the position."
United completed the signing of Lammens for £18.2million, plus add-ons, on deadline day, and Andre Onana was subsequently shipped out on a season-long loan to Trabzonspor.
When Lammens' transfer was announced, United sources noted the goalkeeper had one of the highest goals prevented metrics in Europe and made the most progressive passes of any goalkeeper under the age of 23.
Lammens was a data-driven signing and the numbers suggest he possesses the potential to be a future star, but Amorim has decided to persist with Bayindir for the Manchester derby.
The 3,000 United fans in the away section at the Etihad may spend much of the game watching through their fingers. It's rarely a comfortable watch when Bayindir attempts to deal with set-pieces.
Bayindir flapped at a corner against Arsenal, he nearly cost United the win against Burnley and he was fortunate not to concede from a set-piece against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
It would be an understatement to say Bayindir struggles to deal with aerial balls. And City know Bayindir is starting on Sunday afternoon, so they will target him from set-pieces.
Thankfully, City only scored seven Premier League goals from set-pieces last season, a record which ranks among the worst in the top flight, but Bayindir will definitely be targeted when deliveries are played into the box.
Altay Bayindir looks dejected
Bayindir will start against City in the derby.(Image: Getty Images)
The selection of Bayindir could backfire, but the goalkeeper selection for the derby was never going to be straightforward for Amorim. There are pros and cons for all of his options.
There is logic in starting Bayindir, despite his poor performances in the opening few weeks of the season, because he has started the campaign as first choice and so has match practice in the Premier League under his belt.
Bayindir's distribution is sometimes iffy, but it can be a strength on a good day. It would also be a risk to throw the untested Lammens into one of the biggest games of the season on his debut.
It would be damaging for Lammens to make a mistake on his debut in the derby. On the other hand, there is no better fixture than the derby for a new United signing to deliver a strong performance.
Lammens won't get that opportunity, so it's a moot point, and all eyes will be on Bayindir.
Speaking about Lammens, Amorim said: "He is a goalkeeper with a lot of potential. We are in the moment that the goalkeeper needs to be really strong and have a lot of experience, but we also have to look at the present with a focus on the future so it is a bit of both. He will be ready."
The uncertainty around United's goalkeepers is not helpful, but the situation was bound to continue when United pushed to sign an inexperienced goalkeeper over Emiliano Martinez.
Although Martinez was an imperfect solution, he wouldn't be starting on the bench this weekend if he had signed from Aston Villa. Lammens needs time to adapt to his new environment and is a long-term project.
City also signed a goalkeeper on deadline day, signing Gianluigi Donnarumma for £26m from Paris Saint-Germain.
It would be a surprise to see Donnarumma on the bench and James Trafford in the team at the Etihad, as Donnarumma has enough experience at the top level to play immediately.
City signed a proven goalkeeper and United signed a goalkeeper with potential. Donnarumma will likely be given the chance to help his side claim a win in the Manchester derby, but Lammens will have to watch on.