Former Newcastle and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Given didn’t hold back in his analysis of United’s keeper carousel, and his praise for the Belgian newcomer was glowing.
In an interview with 10bet, he said: "Both Bayindir and Onana were struggling at times, there’s no getting away from it. There’s no hiding the fact that they just weren’t playing well enough and couldn’t stake a real claim to the position. don’t know if it was just psychological or a talent problem, but the position really needed to be sorted out. I think what Lammens has brought is a real calmness.
"Any team, if you have a goalkeeper with a presence and a calmness, it just helps reduce the madness that goes on in front of him. His debut, what really stood out for me wasn’t the good saves, but that when a high ball came in, he claimed it.
"The whole ground stood up, and it was like, finally, we have a goalkeeper who does what a goalkeeper is meant to do. The ball is there to be won, and he won it. He came, he caught it, and the fans and players had just been crying out for that for years."
For Given, consistency is everything: "When you have a goalkeeper, you don’t want someone giving a nine out of ten one week, then three the next. You just need a solid seven out of ten each week, no worries, no panic. I think that’s what Lammens brings United. That’s what Ruben Amorim wants."
Given also addressed speculations that Onana had asked for a pay rise earlier this season, even amid his struggles.
"I’d be surprised, as I thought he was making too many mistakes, and he wasn’t consistent enough," he said. "In terms of negotiations, I wouldn’t have thought that was the best time to ask for a new contract! So if he really did ask for a raise, I’d be surprised."