Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir was visibly furious on Saturday after a dreadful start saw his side concede twice within the opening 20 minutes against Brentford at the G-Tech Community Stadium. The match intensified pressure on both the Turkish goalkeeper and manager Ruben Amorim as the team’s defensive struggles continued.
United quickly fell 2-0 down, with Brentford’s Igor Tudor netting both goals. After Tudor doubled his tally in the 20th minute, Bayindir was captured on camera slamming his fists onto the turf in pure frustration. The goal was born from a corner, with Bayindir initially parrying Kevin Schade’s cross before Thiago turned the ball into the net.
The goalkeeper’s reaction as he lay defeated on the ground perfectly encapsulated the poor start for Amorim’s side.
Clean Sheet Drought Continues
Bayindir has started every Premier League game this season and has yet to keep a clean sheet, a statistic that highlights the defensive vulnerability United has failed to resolve.
The club’s decision not to heavily pursue top goalkeeping targets like Emiliano Martinez or Gianluigi Donnarumma—who joined city rivals Manchester City—has been heavily criticized. The lack of major investment in a known weak spot of the squad, despite manager Amorim’s arrival, is now under the spotlight.
The acquisition of Senne Lammens later in the summer has yet to provide competition, as the new signing remains without a single minute of first-team action.
Sesko Responds, But Pressure Mounts
Fortunately for the Reds, summer signing Benjamin Sesko provided a quick response, scoring his first goal for the club just six minutes after Tudor’s second. After being denied twice from close range, the striker finally smashed the ball into the roof of the net, halving the deficit.
Despite the goal, Brentford remained a constant threat, particularly from set pieces, forcing Bayindir into several key saves to keep the home side from extending their lead.
The focus now shifts to Ruben Amorim, who faces mounting pressure to address the defensive lapses. Speculation is already swirling that the manager may hand Lammens his first start next week against Sunderland in a bid to find a solution between the posts.
