Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir was handed a chance to impress against Newcastle last week but made a host of errors in a 4-1 defeat and he has now been excluded from the matchday squad to face Wolves
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has explained he left goalkeeper Altay Bayindir out of his matchday squad to face Wolves on Sunday due to “rotation”, with Tom Heaton named on the bench instead. The Turkish shot-stopper has been No 2 to first-choice Andre Onana but was a surprise omission at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Amorim rang the changes against Vitor Pereira’s side in the wake of their dramatic 5-4 win over Lyon in the Europa League quarter-finals as he prepares for a vital semi-final clash against Athletic Bilbao on May 1.
The former Sporting Lisbon boss handed a senior debut to youngster Tyler Fredricson in defence alongside Viktor Lindelof, while youth star Harry Amass was given a chance to impress on the left wing, with Christian Eriksen starting in midfield.
Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Casemiro and Diogo Dalot were all rested with the aim of keeping all of Amorim’s star men fresh for the Bilbao clash.
But Bayindir’s absence raised eyebrows given that he started last week’s 4-1 loss to Newcastle and made a handful of costly errors – after coming in following Onana’s own mistakes in the first leg against Lyon.
READ MORE: Alan Shearer brings Ruben Amorim back down to earth with brutal Man Utd assessmentREAD MORE: Why Erik ten Hag turned down Ollie Watkins transfer as Ruben Amorim revives Man Utd interest
The 27-year-old was then returned to the bench in the second leg victory over Lyon on Thursday night, but Amorim decided to only name 39-year-old Heaton as his back-up keeper this weekend.
When asked for the reason Bayindir was not included, Amorim simply said it was due to “squad rotation”, according to MEN. There is already doubt over Bayindir’s future amid reports he is keen to play more regularly elsewhere.
He has played eight times in all competitions after being given a chance in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup but has still not managed to convince Amorim to play him more often despite Onana’s poor displays in goal.
Onana was guilty for both of Lyon’s goals in the 2-2 draw from the first leg, but put in an improved display in the second leg and was picked to start again at home to Wolves.
Reports this week claimed Onana’s immediate future at United was safe because Amorim had not prioritised signing a new goalkeeper next season. The Red Devils are in a perilous financial position and must buy before they can sell, meaning he will have to focus on strengthening his forward line and a new winger first.
Amorim did say he wanted to strengthen in goal in the future but threw his backing behind Onana. He said last week: “We need to improve every position on the field. Goalkeeper is the same; we can work with André. André Onana already proved he is a top player with Inter. Altay the same with Fenerbahce. We have some seasons where we are underperforming.”
When asked about dropping Onana, he added: “When I made that decision I talked with Andre and that is important for me to explain to the player to understand what I am thinking,” added Amorim.
“Sometimes the player is saying one thing and I understand it’s a different thing, sometimes it is my feeling as a coach that can make my decision more than what they are saying to me. They want to show they are really confident and I can feel the other way.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky Sports launches discounted Premier League package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £192 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
