Before Senne Lammens arrived at Old Trafford, the noise surrounding the goalkeeper position was unrelenting; not anymore.
Manchester United had all their summer signings to thank for their latest Premier League win under Michael Carrick’s stewardship.
United ran away 1-0 winners in their first ever trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The in-form Benjamin Šeško finished off a blistering counterattack to continue his rich vein of form.
When talking about his sustained impact off the bench, Sky Sports commentator Rob Hawthorne called him “the modern-day Solskjær,” but it was Senne Lammens who really caught the eye.
Lammens has mentality to succeed at United
One of Lammens’ best attributes is the assurance he provides, which United have lacked for a prolonged period. He appears blissfully unaware of the pressure that comes with being United’s goalkeeper; many consider it one of the hardest jobs in football.
In fact, his teammate, Diogo Dalot, recently backed up that claim on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast. “I always say the three toughest jobs in the world are: Man United manager, Man United keeper and Man United striker,” the defender said. History tells you he is not wrong.
United, though, seem to be turning the tide on all three of those claims. The Reds have not had a safe pair of hands since David de Gea. But what was a position of chaos under Lammens’ predecessors, Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana, is now a position of calm with the big Belgian in between the sticks.
The stats prove that. Since his debut, according to OptaAnalyst, he has prevented the most goals per 90. He also ranks highest for Man of the Match awards among goalkeepers. (5)
Coincidence? Absolutely not. He has had a transformative impact on the team.
United have only lost two of the 21 games he has kept guard. If he can keep his performance levels to this standard, his United career may just have a similar trajectory to Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar, and De Gea.
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Goalkeeping scout key in Lammens transfer
United’s chief goalkeeping scout made repeated trips to Royal Antwerp to watch Senne Lammens, building trust and a detailed profile that ultimately persuaded the young Belgian to choose Old Trafford last summer.
The early evidence – not least in the tight victory over Everton – suggests that faith has been richly rewarded, highlighting both sharp judgement and strong personal conviction.
United had seriously considered Emiliano Martinez, a World Cup winner with pedigree and presence. At the time, head coach Ruben Amorim leaned towards proven experience, echoing the authority Erik ten Hag had previously shown in backing Onana.
Read more: Michael Carrick has quietly let underrated Manchester United ‘match-winner’ get back to his best
Yet the choice of Lammens signalled a broader, more measured approach – youth, hunger and exuberance over reputation, and his form of late has given United’s faithful a sense of bliss following on from the goalkeeping horrors of recent seasons.
That wider thinking also shaped the forward line. United’s summer strategy served up a mix of ability and character. Matheus Cunha is a maverick who plays with a South American edge, Bryan Mbeumo is direct and deadly on the counter-attack, and super-sub Šeško is a project-piercing with potential.
It is recruitment with balance: immediate impact aligned with long-term growth. As for Lammens, secured for £18.1 million, he is already forcing his way into conversations about the signing of the season.
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