Manager Rúben Amorim has made a bold change to his starting lineup for Manchester United’s crucial Premier League fixture against Sunderland at Old Trafford, dropping first-choice goalkeeper Altay Bayindir for his new signing, Senne Lammens.
The decision hands the 23-year-old Belgian keeper his Manchester United debut. Amorim, 40, stated the move was part of a regular rotation strategy designed to keep all players ready and to match the team’s characteristics to the specific opponent.
“It’s rotation. Everybody has to be ready to play,” Amorim told the BBC [via The Sun] ahead of kickoff. “We need to win this game, every opponent is different, so we try to find the best characteristics to win every match.”
Goalkeeping Carousel Continues
The switch comes after a series of inconsistent performances from Bayindir, 27, who had begun the season as the Red Devils’ number one after André Onana fell out of favor and departed on loan to Trabzonspor.
United moved quickly on deadline day to secure Lammens in an £18.5 million transfer from Royal Antwerp. The Turkish international’s struggles in goal had fueled speculation that the young Belgian would soon be given his opportunity, which arrived for the must-win clash against Sunderland.
Mount Starts Over Cunha as Pressure Mounts
The goalkeeping change was not the only surprise in Amorim’s team selection. Midfielder Matheus Cunha, 26, was also relegated to the bench.
The Portuguese coach opted to start Mason Mount ahead of Cunha, positioning Mount alongside Bryan Mbeumo to play in a dual attacking role behind center-forward Benjamin Šeško. United lined up in Amorim’s preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.
The decisions come at a time of intense pressure on the manager. Amorim, who has only been in charge for 11 months, has publicly acknowledged that his position will become “impossible” if the team’s results do not improve soon. His tenure has seen the club achieve just nine league victories.
Despite the recent struggles, it is understood that Amorim still retains the backing of the club’s board, with no immediate replacement lined up. However, club chiefs are reportedly monitoring the situation and considering potential successors for the ex-Sporting Lisbon boss should results fail to turn around quickly.
