Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir came under scrutiny after a costly error in the team’s Premier League opener against Arsenal. Despite the criticism, manager Ruben Amorim was quick to stand by the Turkish shot-stopper.
Bayindir was named as United’s starting goalkeeper for the match at Old Trafford on Sunday (August 17, 2025). However, just 13 minutes in, he conceded from a corner situation.
After being challenged by William Saliba, Bayindir failed to secure the ball cleanly. It fell to Riccardo Calafiori at the far post, who capitalized and scored what turned out to be the only goal of the match.
In the post-match press conference, Amorim came to Bayindir’s defense and dismissed suggestions that United needed to bring in a new goalkeeper. He reaffirmed his confidence in the current goalkeeping trio: Bayindir, Andre Onana, and Tom Heaton.
"I'm happy with the three goalkeepers we have," Amorim told ESPN. "He (Bayindir) chose to go for the ball, but there was a push from Saliba that’s how I saw it live."
"In that moment, you either remove the player interfering or go for the ball. He tried to use his hands to claim it but ended up pushing the opponent instead, which allowed the ball to get away from him."
Manchester United will next face Fulham away on Sunday (August 24) at 10:30 PM WIB. The big question now is: will Bayindir keep his place, or will Onana return between the sticks?
