Ruben Amorim has a couple of selection headaches for the Chelsea fixture after the Manchester derby loss, but one player who didn’t play in the defeat should be undroppable now.
Kobbie Mainoo’s situation will grab the headlines again after the midfielder was left out of the starting XI for Manuel Ugarte and Bruno Fernandes.
Mainoo played well after coming on, leading to calls that he should be given a chance from the start against Chelsea.
However, one player who didn’t play at all is probably even more important now after the events of the 3-0 Manchester derby loss.
Manchester United's Belgian goalkeeper #31 Senne Lammens warms up for the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on September 14, 2025
Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
Ruben Amorim needs to end the Altay Bayindir experiment
Amorim raised some eyebrows before the game when he confirmed that Altay Bayindir will start the derby despite shaky performances leading up to it.
However, it made some sense because he wouldn’t have wanted Senne Lammens to experience the deep end after just a few days of training with the team.
After the 3-0 loss, though, it is clear that the Bayindir experiment needs to end, even if it’s just Amorim’s way of shielding Lammens.
Bayindir had a nightmare game against City, and more salt was poured on his wounds by Erling Haaland with his comments after the game.
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It couldn’t be clearer that Bayindir has lost the confidence of his teammates and the respect of his opposition.
There is no way back for a goalkeeper after that double whammy. The stage is set for Lammens to be backed to the hilt.
The Senne Lammens project needs to begin vs Chelsea
Amorim’s stubbornness has grated on Man Utd fans this season, but picking Lammens over Bayindir should no longer be a stubborn stance.
It’s not just planning for the future, but because Bayindir is actively costing this team points, Lammens’ inclusion makes sense from a sporting perspective as well.
United didn’t buy Emi Martinez because they weren’t convinced of his long-term prospects.
Now that they have Lammens, they need to nurture him into becoming a long-term prospect, and that doesn’t happen if he’s on the bench and “protected” from big games.
If anything, it will shine the spotlight even brighter because it sends a message that Amorim believes he signed a player who’s not ready for a difficult position.