Altay Bayindir is expected to start the Manchester derby – but if there is a late change, Senne Lammens will be ready.
The goalkeeper situation at Manchester United led to Ruben Amorim making big changes in the final weeks of the transfer window.
Andre Onana missed the entirety of pre-season with a hamstring injury and was dropped from the team at the beginning of the 2025/26 season, following two difficult years between the sticks at Old Trafford.
Altay Bayindir has started the first three Premier League games of the season, and Onana has since joined Trabzonspor on loan.
Ruben Amorim told his press conference that Altay Bayindir is likely to start at The Etihad.
But if he is forced into a change, Lammens could follow in some famous footsteps.
Senne Lammens signing for Manchester United
Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images
Lammens could follow four Man Utd legends with derby vs Man City
It will be a huge step up for Lammens whenever Amorim decides the time is right for his debut.
At just 23 and arriving from the Belgian league, Lammens could become the fifth player in United’s history to make his debut in the Manchester derby.
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Some will say it’s the equivalent of being thrown in at the deep end.
United’s four debutants against Man City include Alex Stepney, Sammy McIlroy, Eric Cantona and Patrice Evra.
United won two of those matches, only suffering defeat on one occasion.
McIlroy enjoyed a remarkable debut after lining up alongside George Best and Sir Bobby Charlton. He scored the first before setting up two more as the game finished 3-3.
Stepney and Cantona enjoyed wins in their first game for United against City, that wasn’t the case for another United legend, who had to bounce back from a nightmare start at the club.
As a former United goalkeeper, Stepney sent Lammens a classy message ahead of the derby, reminding the young stopper that he kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over the noisy neighbours.
Patrice Evra’s debut to forget
After arriving from AS Monaco midway through the season, Evra made his debut against City on January 14, 2006.
Sir Alex Ferguson started Evra at left-back but was forced into a substitution at the break as City led 2-0.
They eventually won the game 3-1, although it was a lesson Evra learned from because he went on to become the best left-back in Europe during his time at Old Trafford.
It may have been a debut to forget, but it helped Evra as a rough introduction to English football.
Ferguson never gave up on the Frenchman and he proved to be a fantastic servant to the football club for many years.