'they Have A Problem' - Goalkeeping Concerns Remain At Man Utd

Ruben Amorim made a goalkeeping bet connected Sunday - and successful nan eyes of astir it backfired spectacularly.

The Manchester United leader selected Altay Bayindir alternatively of nan fit-again Andre Onana and it was nan Turkey keeper's early correction that proved nan quality in Arsenal's 1-0 triumph astatine Old Trafford.

Onana's early astatine nan nine has been nan taxable of overmuch statement this summertime and, contempt Amorim's fierce defence of his keepers, nan number-one position astatine United is again nan talking point.

A United charismatic privately offered a basal truth astir nan club's rebuild overmuch earlier successful nan summertime though.

"If we bargain forwards, group will inquire why we didn't get midfielders, if we get midfielders, they will inquire why we didn't get a goalkeeper. We can't do everything successful 1 go," nan charismatic said.

As it turns out, United focused their £200m summertime walk connected forwards arsenic they felt that area of nan transportation was nan 1 that required nan astir important improvement.

And their onslaught looked acold much of a threat connected Sunday than it did for overmuch of past play - pinch Matheus Cunha's battling style endearing him to nan crowd and Bryan Mbeumo exhibiting each nan attributes that helped him people 20 convention goals for Brentford successful 2024-25.

While United could not find an equaliser, contempt their attacking toil, Bayindir's correction meant it was almost inevitable nan attraction aft this opening time conclusion would beryllium nan goalkeeper.

Bayindir grounded to get a beardown manus to Declan Rice's 13th-minute corner, only managing to thenar nan shot backmost towards to nan goalline wherever Riccardo Calafiori nodded home.

Former Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Manchester United person a problem.

"There [are] rumours of [a move for] nan Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez. Now [PSG's] Gianluigi Donnarumma has go available. If I'm United I americium going to get a top-quality goalkeeper.

"Andre Onana has made immoderate large mistakes past season. Goalkeepers are nan past statement of defence and they can't spend to make mistakes for illustration that."

Understandably, caput coach Amorim was robust successful his defence of Bayindir.

"In that moment, you either take to push a subordinate aliases to get nan ball," said Amorim. "[Bayindir] chooses to get nan ball, but he's getting pushed.

"He cannot take sides it himself. That is my emotion erstwhile I spot nan play."

For a much detached master view, it is worthy noting nan words of Joe Hart - who disagreed pinch Amorim's assessment.

Only Peter Shilton and Jordan Pickford person much than Hart's 75 England caps.

"That's not a foul [on Bayindir]," he said connected BBC Radio 5 Live. "Bayindir has sewage to scrap pinch his near limb to woody pinch [William] Saliba and jab nan shot distant pinch his right.

"I sewage fresh to take sides Altay Bayindir, past I saw nan first replay and thought 'I can't take sides him here'. He has sewage acold excessively progressive and sewage mislaid successful nan conflict and made a spot of a mess.

"It's not down to being weak, it is astir putting yourself successful nan champion imaginable position to usage what you person got."

Hart feels United could person offered much protection to Bayindir by putting a protect shield successful beforehand of him. It is nan type of move Sir Alex Ferguson utilized to thief David de Gea, who struggled successful his early days astatine nan club.

Going further back, Peter Schmeichel utilized to benignant a six-yard container scrum retired by shoving opponents retired of nan measurement and past yelling astatine nan referee.

The crippled has changed substantially since then. The advent of VAR should mean if Saliba was committing a foul, arsenic Amorim claimed, nan extremity would person been disallowed.

"If it's allowed, we request to do nan aforesaid thing," said Amorim.

Amorim later clarified that Onana had not been dropped for this crippled and was besides not astir to time off nan club.

The United leader said nan Cameroon keeper had not been considered because he had missed each pre-season lucifer because of a hamstring wounded he sustained astatine nan opening of past month.

United did person tentative discussions overmuch earlier successful nan transportation model astir signing World Cup-winning goalkeeper Martinez from Aston Villa.

That went nowhere. More recently, they person been speedy to norm themselves retired of a move for PSG's Champions League-winning goalkeeper Donnarumma.

In addition, United besides decided to indebtedness highly-rated 21-year-old Radek Vitek to Bristol City.

Internally, United person precocious hopes for nan Czech Republic younker international, whose capacity successful Saturday's 0-0 tie pinch Charlton connected Saturday was labelled "world class" by Addicks coach Curtis Fleming.

However, United intelligibly consciousness Vitek is not yet fresh to woody pinch nan unit of being a regular astatine Old Trafford.

So, if Onana was not available, it near Amorim facing a consecutive prime betwixt Bayindir and 37-year-old Tom Heaton, who signed a one-year statement hold this summertime and says he still has a "drive and desire to play".

Amorim was displeased astatine being asked astir his goalkeeper action during his appraisal of Sunday's loss.

He took peculiar objection to a proposal that Bayindir's nonaccomplishment to support retired Son Heung-min's area successful an EFL Cup nonaccomplishment astatine Tottenham successful December, erstwhile nan keeper was besides crowded retired successful his ain six-yard box, was a logic why picking him was a risk.

"Why?" he responded. "[Son' extremity was] without VAR. With VAR, it's a foul.

"And past what happened successful nan adjacent game? Who saved nan penalty? Who saved nan game? You don't remember?

"Bayindir was unbelievable successful that game. I see everything to put 1 connected another."

There were really 4 games, and almost a month, betwixt nan Tottenham conclusion and nan adjacent clip Bayindir played - successful United's FA Cup punishment shoot-out triumph astatine Arsenal.

Onana started each nan matches successful between.

Given Amorim's consequent comments astir his wide goalkeeping department, nan chances are Onana will beryllium backmost for adjacent weekend's travel to Fulham.

"We proved coming we tin triumph immoderate crippled successful nan Premier League, particularly against a awesome squad for illustration Arsenal," he said.

"We were nan amended team. I'm happy pinch nan 3 goalkeepers."