How safe pair of hands are key to Manchester United's 2026 success

Amid the chaos that surrounds Manchester United, one man who has remained cool and calm is the current occupant in United's goal, Senne Lammens. 

The goalkeeping position at Old Trafford has become somewhat of a poisoned chalice over the years, but since arriving in Manchester this summer, the Belgian has stayed out of the limelight, got on with the job and been exactly what the club needed between the sticks. 

After another stellar showing against Everton on Monday, Lammens is slowly starting to get the plaudits his displays have earned since being trusted as the club's latest number one, and he is already being earmarked as a key component in United's revival - and their future success.

Senne to save the day 

Lammens' ascention has been rapid. Coming through the ranks at Club Brugge, it was his move to Royal Antwerp where the young keeper was given the stage to show his talent. 

Last season was only his first full campaign as an established number one, but he quickly impressed with his shot-stopping and by mid-February had saved four penalties, and Europe's big guns were already taking notice. 

For Manchester United, his profile looked ideal to fill a position that had become one of their biggest headaches. 

In the same way the club struggled to fill the void left by Peter Schmeichel in 1999, the Red Devils had failed to really replace David de Gea since the club let the Spanish stopper go, especially in Andre Onana, whose erratic performances were not befitting of what the club required. 

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Back then, it took five years for Edwin van der Sar to make fans move on from their treble-winning Dane, and Lammens' arrival isn't too dissimilar.

The Belgian may not have arrived with the same profile as the Dutchman, but in the same way Van der Sar ended a long-term search, Lammens did the same by finally giving United that assured presence their backline had been crying out for. 

He made his debut following the £18 million move at home to Sunderland, keeping a clean sheet in the 2-0 win, and has been an ever-present since. 

Still only 23, it may have been quite a daunting task for a player to come in at such a high-profile club, in such a high-pressure position, but his calmness has been one of the key attributes he's brought to the side, especially since Michael Carrick took over and it's led to further comparisons with Van der Sar. 

Big praise for big impact Getty

Speaking exclusively to DAZN News, thanks to the home of betting apps, former Premier League keeper Graham Stack has been impressed by Lammens and has become the latest to liken him to the club's Dutch great. 

"He's done well. I'll be honest, I think he’s come into the side at a really good time, because they look like a completely different outfit.

"But I think you see his characteristics in terms of being quite calm, he's very controlled, he's unassuming, almost like, a little bit like Van der Saar in a way." 

The Van der Sar comparison has sped up over the past few weeks, and the legend himself was on hand to witness first-hand the likeness as a pundit for Sky watching United's win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium this week. 

Watching on in the studio, the Monday Night Football guest told United's newest goalie just how pleased he'd been with his performance in a post-match chat with Lammanes, stating, "With your age, first year in the Premier League, you’re really doing incredibly well. And you have a good save, good hands, so compliments on your all-around game.”

It's compliments he's deserved, too, because following that debut against the Black Cats, Lammans hasn't put a foot wrong in a United goal that had become prone to mistakes from the man between the posts. 

He's racked up five clean sheets in total and is already being seen as someone who can keep hold of the number one spot for years to come. 

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Every great team needs it 

The future of Carrick may well still be uncertain, but whoever the manager is coming into Old Trafford next season will benefit from knowing that, finally, the club looked to have solved an ongoing issue. 

For all the talk of superstar signings and who can make the difference for United, the truth is no great team is without a great goalkeeper at the bedrock of its success. 

It may be early days to start hyping Lammans as a goalkeeper who fits the mould, but the early signs are more than encouraging. 

His stop from Michael Keane on Monday was the latest example of his stop-stopping ability, but much in the same way Alisson transformed the Liverpool backline, and of course Van der Sar, it's Lammens calm presence that is shining through as his biggest attribute. 

It's a calmness in a position that has been the hallmark of all great Premier League keepers, and it shows huge promise of what's to come. 

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