Ruben Amorim told he’s making a mistake by starting ‘hopeless’ Altay Bayindir for Man Utd

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has made a big selection decision ahead of the Manchester Derby on Sunday in the Premier League, with Altay Bayindir given the nod

Ruben Amorim has been told he will regret starting Altay Bayindir in the Manchester Derby on Sunday because Manchester City will exploit his key weakness.

Amorim confirmed on Friday that Bayindir will start in goal ahead of new signing Senne Lammens. The Manchester United manager had a choice between the Turkey international and £18.2million new arrival after Andre Onana left to join Trabzonspor on loan.

He suggested that the decision had been taken more because Lammens was not ready, rather than having particular faith in Bayindir. Lammens, 23, has only played in Belgium previously and Bayindir has started all three of United’s Premier League games this season.

Bayindir was at fault for Ricciardo Calafiori’s goal in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over United on the opening weekend of the season. The 27-year-old flapped at Declan Rice’s corner and former Scotland international Craig Burley thinks his weakness at dealing with balls into the box will be played on by City.

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“With Bayindir, every set-piece I’m putting Haaland and every centre half on him and just swinging it under the crossbar for fun,” Burley told ESPN.

“Hell, if Man City have got someone who takes long throws, I’m throwing it in Rory Delap style. I’m just piling it into the box because he’s absolutely hopeless at coming out and dealing with aerial balls – he’s shown that.”

Amorim chose Bayindir as his starting goalkeeper this season, with Onana coming into pre-season injured after a difficult 2024/25 campaign. He hasn’t convinced in goal and some believed the deadline-day arrival of Lammens would make him the new No.1, only for Amorim to nail his colours to the mast.

“Altay is going to continue,” he said. “It is a different league, different country, different ball [for Lammens]. So they [he and Bayindir] will fight for the position. We are really pleased – he is a goalkeeper with a lot of potential.

“We are in the moment that the goalkeeper needs to be really strong and have a lot of experience but we also have to look at the present with a focus on the future so it is a bit of both. He will be ready.”

United won their first game of the season before the international break, beating newly-promoted Burnley 3-2. But the midfield balance is another obvious problem that Amorim is yet to address, according to Burley.

“I can’t help but think, looking at Casemiro and [Bruno] Fernandes if that is the midfield two, that City have to dominate that area, they just have to,” he added. “And if they do dominate that area as I expect, then the supply line to the wide players and Erling Haaland is going to be plentiful.

“I just don’t see how United are going to dominate the middle of the park. Yeah, they’ve got [Bryan] Mbeumo and some forward players that can get in behind and hurt City, but you have to have possession of the ball, and that’s been their big problem.”

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