It is reported that during the international window, Manchester United’s £18.2 million acquisition Sena Lamens was mentored by the legendary goalkeeper Van der Sar, who supposedly regards Lamens as the goalkeeper with talent nearest to Buffon’s. Of course, these claims lack official verification.

Manchester United will visit Manchester City this Sunday. Although Ruben Amorim’s team currently leads their city rivals in the standings, everyone knows a single result can drastically change the situation. The Red Devils still face many issues, including the tough decision of who should start as goalkeeper.

Manchester United have agreed to loan André Onana to Turkish club Trabzonspor; therefore, either Altay Bayındır or Lamens will be the starting goalkeeper in the Manchester derby, with Tom Heaton definitely remaining the third choice.

According to “Athletic Network,” Lamens aimed to compete for the starting spot from the very first day he signed. Notably, Onana was considered his main rival for the position at that time, while Bayındır was excluded from the discussion.

As a result, it seems Lamens has won the battle for Manchester United’s starting goalkeeper spot, with the verbal agreement to let Onana leave being strong evidence. In the long term, Lamens will surely be Amorim’s preferred choice, as data shows he has tremendous potential.

Last season, Lamens had the highest save percentage among goalkeepers in Europe’s top ten leagues, reaching 77.4%. Moreover, this Belgian goalkeeper conceded nearly 18 fewer goals than expected, demonstrating his ability to significantly reduce the team’s goals allowed.

Thus, Lamens clearly is a highly skilled goalkeeper. However, starting him immediately in the Manchester United versus Manchester City match remains a huge challenge. As has been seen recently, playing for Manchester United is a completely different level, especially for goalkeepers.

Although Lamens has not yet made his debut, one obvious weakness has already been scrutinized: his lack of experience. He has only played one full season in the Belgian league, where the competition is far less intense than the Premier League.

Therefore, if Lamens starts right away against Manchester City, any mistake will put him under immense pressure and criticism. James Trafford, signed by City this summer, serves as an example; after some errors upon his return, Guardiola promptly signed Italian international Donnarumma. Of course, if Lamens performs well in the derby, he can quickly build confidence, with risks and rewards closely linked.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Lamens is a strong contender for Manchester United’s number one spot. “This season, Lamens’ competition for the number one jersey is very intense, and with Onana’s departure, his chances have increased,” Romano said.

Amorim has also been cautious when using new signings Mbemo and Sheshko during the summer transfer window. Since Lamens lacks top-league experience and needs time to adapt to the Premier League, starting Bayındır in the derby against Manchester City would undoubtedly be the safest choice. That way, even if goals are conceded or the match is lost, it won’t affect the £18 million signing.

Due to the transfer process, Lamens has not played for some time; his last appearance was on August 17. Additionally, this season Lamens has conceded an average of one goal per game, has yet to keep a clean sheet, and is not currently at his best form.

However, both Manchester United and fans know that 27-year-old Bayındır lacks the quality to be a starting goalkeeper. Even in the Turkish national team, he is not the first choice and serves only as a backup, let alone for a top club like the Red Devils.

Furthermore, Lamens is already 23 years old, much older than De Gea was when he joined Manchester United, and may need to prove he can handle pressure immediately. There is no better test than facing Manchester City, whether he performs well or poorly. If Amorim does not start Lamens against City, many Red Devils supporters will feel disappointed.