Ruben Amorim Makes Bold Goalkeeper Decision for Sunderland Clash

Matheus Cunha and Manuel Ugarte were dropped to the bench for Saturday’s game.

Senne Lammens makes his first start for Man Utd. | James Gill - Danehouse/Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Senne Lammens will make his Manchester United debut after being named in the starting lineup for Saturday’s meeting with Sunderland.

After André Onana fell down the pecking order, United struck a deal worth an initial €21 million (£18.3 million, $24.7 million) to sign 23-year-old Lammens from Royal Antwerp, but he had to remain patient as Ruben Amorim continued to select Altay Bayındır ahead of him.

With the Turkish international also failing to impress, Amorim decided to hand a first opportunity to Lammens, starting behind a back three which includes the returning Leny Yoro.

Amad Diallo also returns to the squad after being granted time off following a family bereavement, with the former Sunderland loanee expected to start at right wing back, opposite Diogo Dalot.

Casemiro starts alongside Bruno Fernandes in midfield after serving his one-match suspension following his red card against Chelsea. Further forward, Mason Mount gets the nod in place of Matheus Cunha, who drops to the bench.

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Man Utd Starting Lineup vs. Sunderland

(3-4-2-1): Lammens; Yoro, De Ligt, Shaw; Amad, Casemiro, Fernandes (c), Dalot; Mbeumo, Mount; Šeško.

Subs: Bayındır, Dorgu, Heaven, Léon, Maguire, Mainoo, Ugarte, Cunha, Zirkzee.

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“Rotation like we did last year,” Amorim said when asked to explain the decision to start Lammens. “They have to be ready for every game.

“It’s a different team to what we played last week, so we put out a team that we think can win.

“We are ready to cope for everything the other team is doing. We can fight and that is the most important thing we need to change from the last game.”

United head into the game 14th in the Premier League, with just seven points from six games, and are under pressure to reverse their poor form against a newly promoted Sunderland side flourishing back in the top flight.

Régis Le Bris’s side are sitting pretty in sixth with just one loss to their name thus far.

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