Rúben Amorim will have a big decision to make regarding his goalkeepers as Manchester United line up to face Man City later this month.
Rúben Amorim’s opening weeks of the 2025/26 campaign have given Manchester United little reason to celebrate, with just one win, one draw, and two defeats so far.
They began with a 1-0 loss to Arsenal, though the performance showed promise. A 1-1 draw away at Fulham followed, offering little improvement.
In the Carabao Cup second round, United suffered an embarrassing exit at the hands of League Two Grimsby Town, losing on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Relief finally came with a first victory of the season, a dramatic 3-2 win over Burnley sealed by Bruno Fernandes’ last-minute penalty.
After the international break, Amorim’s side head across town to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City, where the manager will be desperate to see a stronger showing.
Onana’s pending United exit boost for two players
According to the latest reports, United have reached an agreement with the Turkish side Trabzonspor to loan goalkeeper André Onana for the 2025/26 campaign. Further, it’s been stated that the player is giving “serious consideration” to the move.
This comes just a few days after United completed the signing of Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp on a five-year contract for an initial £18.2 million.
Onana has started just one of United’s four games so far this season, the loss against Grimsby, with Altay Bayındır playing the other three in the Premier League.
Bayındır looks to have usurped Onana in the goalkeeping spot following the Cameroon international’s injury, which left Amorim unimpressed. With Onana potentially heading out on loan, this gets rid of significant competition for Bayındır and Lammens.
Amorim planning to start Bayındır vs Man City
With Onana almost certainly out of the picture at United, the starting XI spot for when United line up to face Manchester City at the Etihad is now a clear battle between Bayındır and Lammens.
There are arguments for both players to start, as well as for each player to be on the bench. Bayındır has experience and fitness on his side, but the Turkish international has looked shaky when dealing with crosses and set-pieces.
Statistics show that Lammens is a fantastic shot-stopper and can deal well with physicality. However, his fitness is not as sharp, and starting a 23-year-old away against City for their maiden Premier League fixture is a little daunting.
With both sides of the coin in mind, it has been reported that Lammens is not currently being considered an automatic No. 1 at the club. Instead, he is viewed as a player to develop at Carrington and bed into the first-team as time goes on.
With this in mind, Amorim looks set to start Bayındır on goal against Man City, continuing from his three appearances so far this season, with Lammens set to play his first minutes for United as the season progresses.
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