Senne Lammens’ transition from the Belgian Pro League with Royal Antwerp to the Premier League with Manchester United has benefited from one of his “strengths.”
The 23-year-old Belgian shot-stopper has avoided the struggles that David de Gea faced after the latter’s arrival in England under Sir Alex Ferguson in the last decade.
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David de Gea left Atletico Madrid in 2011 and made his way to Old Trafford, with the Manchester United legend experiencing the physicality test of the Premier League.
Whereas Sir Alex Ferguson played a key role in integrating the 35-year-old Spaniard to the demands of English football, Senne Lammens has not faced that challenge.
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Senne Lammens looks on prior to the Premier League match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in 2026 in Manchester, England.
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Senne Lammens faced a big Premier League test in Man Utd’s 1-0 win over Everton in his post-Belgian Pro League career
Senne Lammens had been accustomed to Belgian football for the majority of his early career ahead of his stunning deadline-day move to Manchester United in 2025.
Leaving behind Royal Antwerp and the Belgian Pro League last September, Lammens has appeared unfazed by climbing into the Man Utd No 1 role in the 2025-26 season.
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Not only did the Belgium international keep a clean sheet in United’s 1-0 win over Everton on Monday, but Lammens saw his ‘physicality’ truly tested in his box.
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“Physically, Everton was a big battle, a big game, so I’m still recovering from that,” he said, as per The Guardian.
“It’s been like this. It’s just the way it is – the Premier League, it’s physicality and a bit of war in the 18-yard box.”
Lammens was called into action during Man Utd’s encounter with Everton and pulled off key saves in the second half to ensure the Red Devils sealed all three points.
The former Antwerp ace knows that his physical presence is one of his advantages, but even he realised Monday evening’s clash presented a major challenge for him.
“It’s one of my strengths, so sometimes I like the challenge as well,” Lammens added.
“Of course, it can get too much sometimes, but everyone has to deal with it. It’s not like only one team does it, it’s everyone in general.”
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Senne Lammens’ blueprint for adapting to the Premier League after the Man Utd ace’s Belgian Pro League analysis
According to StatMuse, Lammens pulled off 11 ball recoveries and four saves across the full 90 minutes of United’s visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday evening.
The United shot-stopper admitted that the Belgian Pro League is still physical in his eyes, but he explained why he had to tweak his blueprint for the Premier League.
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“As a goalkeeper, you have to get used to that and train for it and get better at it. I’ve been doing a good job at it, so I’ll continue to do that,” he said.
“The club said to me that it was the most physical. It’s the best league, but the physicality is the biggest difference. We do it as well sometimes, making it hard for the goalkeeper.”
Lammens added: “In Belgium, it’s less physical, but still the principles are the same.
“Here, there are a bit more bodies in front of you, but my team has helped me out with blocking guys. You have to be big and not be pushed around easily.”
Lammens is the perfect example of how future Man Utd signings have to truly understand the importance of physicality compared with rival European leagues.
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