Man United v Arsenal heroics may ease Sunderland FC exit fears | OneFootball

Anthony Patterson has previously been linked with a move to Manchester United

Sunderland might just be the real winners of Manchester United’s penalty shootout victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup on Sunday evening.

It has previously been reported by Football Insider that Anthony Patterson is a transfer target for the Red Devils, with Ruben Amorim looking to build a side that can compete in the Premier League.

While the Black Cats are currently confident they can stave off any interest in their first-choice goalkeeper, this might not last if their interest persists.

It’s no surprise that Patterson is attracting this level of interest given how well he’s performed in the Championship for the Wearside outfit.

However, Sunday’s victory over Arsenal might be enough to persuade Man United that second choice Altay Bayindir doesn’t need to be replaced just yet.

The Turkish international was the penalty hero in more ways than one at the Emirates, first saving Martin Odegaard’s spot-kick in the second half of the opening 90 minutes, before he stopped Kai Havertz’s tame shot in the shootout.

Altay Bayindir’s Man United future

Bayindir came under a lot of criticism for the team’s elimination from the League Cup to Tottenham Hotspur in December, conceding four times in a 4-3 loss in London.

This only fuelled speculation that Amorim would seek a replacement as he looks to bolster the squad amid a disappointing campaign for the club.

But he made multiple impressive saves against Arsenal across 120 minutes of cup action, and his two penalty stops were ultimately decisive.

It was a great response from the 26-year-old after his disappointing effort against Spurs just a few weeks prior, and Sunderland might be very thankful for that.

The Black Cats will be keen to keep hold of Patterson, so the better that Bayindir can do when thrown into the team the easier it becomes.

While there are no guarantees that this one performance will convince Amorim, it does show that he has the capacity to turn it around.

There are aspects of his Arsenal display that will still be concerning for the likes of Sunderland, in particular his inability to play out from the back, but progress is progress nonetheless.

Patterson would make sense for a club like Man United

The real fear for Sunderland is that a player like Patterson is a good fit for Man United.

Andre Onana is the established first choice, and he is likely to keep that role for a number of years.

But a strong second choice would be welcome, as we’ve seen at the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United how important that can be.

The added competition will push Onana, and having someone who can play a similar style on the bench is what modern managers now prefer.

Patterson is also homegrown, meaning he can take up one of those spots in the squad, and he also has the potential to someday replace someone like Onana if he can continue his rate of development.

If Sunderland fail to gain promotion then he will be a player that’s at risk of leaving, so Bayindir’s FA Cup performance might just have reduced the number of potential buyers.