Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Senne Lammens was left flailing for the ball as Lisandro Martinez scored an own goal against Fulham.
Manchester United were staring down the barrel of three consecutive defeats in all competitions when they went a goal down to Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Lisandro Martinez scored the own-goal after a freak incident where the ball ricocheted off his foot and past Senne Lammens. Thankfully, a late Matheus Cunha goal rescued a 1-1 draw for Manchester United.
Lammens is yet to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League this season, and United’s defence in general has been widely criticised. Yet, after what was an embarrassing moment for the side, he has been defended by a surprising source.
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Joe Hart’s brilliant defence of Senne Lammens
While Joe Hart spent the majority of his career playing for United’s rivals, Manchester City, it seems he is first and foremost a member of the goalkeeper union.
Throughout the World Cup, Hart offered some brilliant analysis from a goalkeeper’s point-of-view, and he issued a passionate defence of Lammens after United’s own goal against Fulham.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Hart said: “As the ball leaves Bassey’s foot, it just clips the inside of Dalot’s calf, which changes the trajectory of the ball.
“Which means Senne Lammens there – look, goalkeeping sometimes is not a work of art. It’s not about perfection. Sometimes when those deflections happen, you just get your body in the way and then look to deal with whatever comes after it. Lammens has done that.
“That’s why he’s in that kind of awkward position. It shocked Lisandro Martinez, who then sees Garcia out of the corner of his eye and realizes, ‘I’ve got to get a boot on this’.
“Now again I go back into Lammens’ head and he’s thinking: ‘Head’s a bit scrambled, is that a backpass? Isn’t it a backpass? Can I use my hands? Do I kick it?’
“He ends up making the decision- do you know what, I’m going to not take the risk, I’m going to kick it. He gets it all wrong, gets his foot stuck, and it’s really difficult. Now all of that I’ve just described, this goes on in real-time. Look how quickly this happens, and then there you are, foot in the ground. Who would be a goalkeeper?”
How has Senne Lammens been performing in 2026/27?
Against Fulham, Lammens was impressive in the first half, making several crucial saves. Yet his slight error in the own-goal has dampened the view on his performance.
Last season, Lammens was the signing of the season and he had a brilliant impact on the club’s results.
READ MORE: Why Senne Lammens should be furious after 2026 Yashin award snub
Because of United’s poor defending this season, Lammens has already conceded eight goals in five Premier League matches.
But his individual performances have still been steady. According to Premier League statistics, Lammens ranks sixth in the division for saves made this season, with 16 across the first five matches.