Manchester United are preparing to go head-to-head with their neighbourhood rivals Manchester City on Sunday, with Ruben Amorim already confirming that Altay Bayındır will remain in goal for the game.
The Red Devils signed Senne Lammens on the final day of the window and have since allowed André Onana to leave the club for Trabzonspor on loan—the Cameroon international paying the price for a catalogue of mistakes between the sticks.
But Lammens will have to wait for his opportunity, despite many assuming he’d walk straight into the first team, as Amorim has already outlined that Bayındır will continue.
“Altay is going to continue,” Amorim said in his pre-match press conference. “It is a different league, different country, different ball. I know that we are in the moment that the goalkeeper needs to be really strong and have a lot of experience.
“It is a different league, different country, different ball. I know that we are in the moment that the goalkeeper needs to be really strong and have a lot of experience.”
Amorim further highlighted the need to stability at a club that has seen constant change since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. He also highlighted how players have struggled at the club throughout its history despite their professional status. In goal specifically, Amorim named legend Edwin van der Sar as a gamechanger for Man Utd once he arrived in 2005.
"We had a situation in the past with goalkeepers where we spent a lot of time trying to get a goalkeeper and then Edwin van der Sar came and was like a different player in that position,” Amorim said.
When asked who could be the next Van der Sar, Amorim praised Bayındır: “This week I hope to see Altay Bayindir doing well like Van der Sar. Then in the future, they have to fight for the places. We as a team can help the goalkeepers be better. We are doing that.”
The Turkish international faces a tough challenge when the Red Devils travel to Etihad Stadium to face off against City. Bayındır has started the first three games of the season and has failed to register a clean sheet. His mistake against Arsenal in the season opener resulted in a game-winning goal from Riccardo Calafiori. In total, the Red Devils have collected just four points from a possible nine.
Onana, before leaving, made two errors against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup second round as they were shockingly upset by the League Two side on penalties.
Man City vs. Man Utd kicks off Sunday, Sept. 14 at 16:30 BST (11:30 a.m. ET).
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ruben Amorim Hopeful Man Utd Goalkeeper Can Emulate Legendary Edwin van der Sar.