Manchester United's Goalkeeping Dilemma: Amorim Defends Bayindir After Arsenal Defeat
Ruben Amorim took a significant risk with his goalkeeping choice on Sunday, a decision that many believe backfired dramatically.
The Manchester United manager opted for Altay Bayindir over the fit-again Andre Onana, and it was Bayindir's early mistake that ultimately decided the match, leading to Arsenal's 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.
Onana's future at the club has been a topic of intense speculation throughout the summer. Despite Amorim's staunch defense of his goalkeepers, the number-one position at United is once again a matter of discussion.
A United official candidly shared a fundamental truth about the club's rebuilding efforts earlier this summer: "If we buy forwards, people will ask why we didn’t get midfielders; if we get midfielders, they will ask why we didn’t get a goalkeeper. We can’t do everything at once."
Ultimately, United allocated their £200 million summer budget primarily towards strengthening their forward line, which they deemed the area needing the most improvement.
Their attack appeared significantly more threatening on Sunday than it had for much of the previous season, with Matheus Cunha's tenacity winning over the crowd and Bryan Mbeumo demonstrating the skills that saw him net 20 league goals for Brentford in 2024-25.
Despite their efforts, United failed to equalize, and Bayindir's blunder shifted the focus to the goalkeeper following this disappointing opening day loss.
Bayindir struggled to handle Declan Rice's corner in the 13th minute, inadvertently directing the ball back towards the goal line where Riccardo Calafiori scored.
Clinton Morrison, a former Crystal Palace striker, commented on BBC Radio 5 Live, "Manchester United have a problem. There are rumors about a move for Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez. Now that PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma is available, I would advise United to secure a top-quality goalkeeper. Andre Onana made significant mistakes last season; goalkeepers cannot afford such errors."
Amorim Stands by Bayindir
In light of the criticism, head coach Amorim staunchly defended Bayindir's performance. He stated, "In that moment, you either choose to push a player or to go for the ball. Bayindir chose to go for the ball but was being pushed. He cannot defend it himself; that is my feeling when I see the play."
However, Joe Hart, a former England international, disagreed with Amorim's assessment. "That’s not a foul on Bayindir," he remarked on BBC Radio 5 Live. "Bayindir needed to use his left arm to deal with Saliba and jab the ball away with his right. I initially prepared to defend him, but after seeing the replay, I realized I couldn’t. He got too involved and lost the battle, resulting in a mistake. It’s not about being weak; it’s about positioning yourself to use your skills effectively."
Hart suggested that United could have provided better protection for Bayindir by implementing a defensive shield in front of him, a tactic previously employed by Sir Alex Ferguson to assist David de Gea in his early days at the club.
Historically, Peter Schmeichel would clear out opponents in the six-yard box while vocally addressing the referee. However, with the introduction of VAR, if Saliba had committed a foul, as Amorim claimed, the goal would have been disallowed. Amorim commented, "If it’s allowed, we need to adapt accordingly."
Amorim Addresses Goalkeeper Selection
Amorim later clarified that Onana was not dropped for this match and is not leaving the club. He explained that Onana had not been considered due to a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the entirety of pre-season.
Earlier in the transfer window, United had tentative discussions regarding a potential signing of World Cup-winning goalkeeper Martinez from Aston Villa, but those talks did not progress. Recently, they have also ruled out a move for PSG's Champions League-winning goalkeeper Donnarumma.
Additionally, United decided to loan out promising 21-year-old Radek Vitek to Bristol City. Internally, they hold high expectations for the Czech youth international, whose performance in a recent draw was described as "world class" by Addicks coach Curtis Fleming. However, United believes Vitek is not yet ready for the pressures of being a regular starter at Old Trafford.
With Onana unavailable, Amorim faced a straightforward choice between Bayindir and 37-year-old Tom Heaton, who recently extended his contract and maintains a desire to play.
Amorim expressed frustration when questioned about his goalkeeper selection after the game, particularly in response to the suggestion that Bayindir's previous failure to save a corner in an EFL Cup match against Tottenham was indicative of a risk. He replied, "Why? That goal was without VAR. With VAR, it’s a foul. And what happened in the next game? Who saved the penalty? Who saved the game? You don’t remember? Bayindir was incredible in that match. I consider everything in my decisions."
There were actually four matches and almost a month between the Tottenham defeat and Bayindir's next appearance, which came in United’s FA Cup penalty shootout victory against Arsenal, with Onana starting all intervening matches.
Given Amorim's subsequent remarks about his goalkeeping options, it seems likely that Onana will return for next weekend’s match against Fulham. "We proved today that we can win any Premier League game, especially against a strong team like Arsenal," he stated. "We were the better team. I’m satisfied with the three goalkeepers we have."