Gary Neville admits mistake over Manchester United signing now earning comparisons to club legend | OneFootball

Senne Lammens is enjoying a promising debut season in the Premier League

Gary Neville has admitted he may have been too quick to judge Senne Lammens after a “Man of the Match” display in Monday’s win over Everton earned the Manchester United goalkeeper comparisons to club legend Edwin van der Sar.

Neville admitted he had “concerns” last summer when the Red Devils signed Lammens - who then had just one full season of senior football under his belt - from Royal Antwerp for £18 million on Deadline Day, but that he has been “really impressed” with the 23-year-old goalie since then.

Man of the Match: Senne Lammens delivered a stand-out performance against Everton

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“The goalkeeper, I thought, was my man of the match tonight - not necessarily because he made loads of amazing saves, but everything he did he just did really calmly and well,” the ex-United defender said on Sky Sports after full-time on Monday.

“The tip over the bar at the end, there was a shot that just bounced in front of him and he just held it, and then Everton had 10 corners. He didn’t deal with every single one but he dealt with a lot of them, and I think having a goalkeeper of composure who just does his job calmly, isn’t frantic, isn’t sort of rushing around, I think makes a big difference in moments like that when you come into a place like this and they’re putting enormous pressure on you.”

Neville continued: “I’ve said it before, people get tired me saying it, I do think [the goalkeeper] is the most difficult position and most scrutinised position in English football.

“I had my concerns when he came in, I thought: ‘Why would you take a chance with a goalkeeper who’s young, who’s not got the pedigree, he’s played in a different league, he’s going to come to Manchester United and it could eat him up’.”

“It is early, but he looks like he’s got the temperament and he’s got the technical quality, he’s doing the right things - he holds the ball when he should hold it, he punches when he should punch, but even when he punches it’s not one of those wild punches - everything seems under control.

“This kid, he’s come in and I really have been impressed with him. He looks like he’s got a big, big future early days.”

Lammens earned praise for his ‘composure’ in dealing with Everton’s set-piece tactics

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Lammens kept just two clean sheets in 15 Premier League matches under previous head coach Ruben Amorim but nonetheless contributed to the team losing just two league games since his debut in October. Since Carrick’s appointment in January, he has helped the side embark on a run of five wins and a draw from six outings.

“I think overall throughout the whole period, coming in at a challenging time [with] an ever-changing defence [under Amorim], I think he’s done brilliantly well.”

Having talked up Lammens during an interview with The Overlap podcast over the weekend, Van der Sar appeared on Sky Sports to analyse Monday’s game and afterwards complimented the young goalkeeper on doing “incredibly well” in his debut season.

When asked by reporters about comparisons between himself and the Dutch legend, Lammens admitted “it is always nice” to be mentioned alongside someone who achieved Van der Sar’s level of success at Old Trafford.

Carrick, meanwhile, was more cautious when asked whether there are comparisons to be drawn between the two.

"I've got to be careful what I say," replied United’s interim head coach.

"I don't want to be comparing them because I don't think it's fair to Senne, but there's definitely similarities."

Speaking to Van der Sar directly, Carrick also said: "His demeanour, composure and body language is a lot of what I like to see in a goalkeeper and exactly what you brought.”