The sun was shining, the Stretford End was singing with no music to drown out its cries and the optimism in the air was tangible. But once Manchester United’s engaging Premier League season opener with Arsenal was over, Ruben Amorim was not having to speak about his exciting new attack or his usual talisman Bruno Fernandes.
Instead he was taking questions on the goalkeeper who everyone was blaming for the 1-0 defeat. And this time it was not Andre Onana he was forced to defend, but Altay Bayindir. United’s stand-in shot-stopper began the season as their No.1 because Onana had only just recovered from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of pre-season action, but very quickly Bayindir had his head in his hands after his attempt at punching away a corner led to Riccardo Calafiori heading home on the goal-line.
The United boss was in a prickly mood as he tried to defend Bayindir in his post-match press conference, blaming permissive refereeing of Arsenal’s physical approach while at the same time criticising his player for his decision-making. “I think you are allowed to do lots of things at corners,” he said. “We need to do the same. But when you touch that way, the goalkeeper, he needs to use his hands to catch the ball, not push players. He chooses to push players and let the ball pass.”
