Senne Lammens has lifted Man United – Wes Brown exclusive | OneFootball

“He is exactly what we’ve needed.”

Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown has delivered a glowing assessment of Senne Lammens after the goalkeeper’s impressive start to life at Old Trafford.

A Calming Presence

Despite being only 23 years old – a relative baby in goalkeeping years – Lammens has demonstrated a maturity and confidence between the sticks for United which belies his age.

And Brown, speaking in an exclusive interview with The Peoples Person, courtesy of BetWright casino, believes it’s a sense of calm which the Belgium international has brought to Ruben Amorim’s defence – a direct contrast to his predecessors.

“[Lammens] has brought a real calmness to the team. If I don’t hear anything about the goalkeeper, to me, that goalkeeper has had a good game. Nothing spectacular may have happened, but also no drama has gone on in the game.”

Brown, who was a key part of one of the most successful sides (and defences) in United’s history during the 2007/08 season, admits he wanted Lammens to be “thrown in straight away” following his £18.1 million move from Royal Antwerp on deadline day in the summer.

But Amorim was patient with an inexperienced young player facing a significant jump in competition in England – and results dictate the Portuguese coach timed Lammens’ introduction perfectly. “That’s why the manager knows best,” Brown states.

United are yet to lose a match since Lammens debut against Sunderland in October. Three wins on the trot and two draws, with his second appearance being the daunting trip to Anfield, are a testament to this decision.

Brown praises Lammens’ mentality as “strong” because it was a “very difficult position” to be thrust into. But the Belgian, who made his senior debut for his country during the international break in a 7-0 demolition of Lichtenstein, has embraced the pressure without a sweat.

“The way he has handled it has been brilliant. He’s kept it simple, he’s come for the ball, he’s collected, he’s stopped shots when he’s needed to, and nothing silly when he has the ball,” the 46-year-old judges.

“It’s taken the spotlight off that position, which was needed, as there was a lot of attention on it when [Andre] Onana was there, because people were just waiting for something to go wrong.”

A Safe Pair of Hands

The goalkeeping position has been a source of constant consternation for United since long-term stalwart David De Gea’s departure in 2024.

Onana, signed from Inter Milan for £47.3 million to be replace the Spaniard, never settled at the Theatre of Dreams, instead enduring a nightmarish streak of mistakes throughout his debut season. And while Onana would also produce moments of magic, it was the consistency of his inconsistency which made his position at the club untenable.

Speaking from a defender’s perspective, Brown believes Onana’s erratic decision-making would have spread panic throughout the team. And his back-up, Altay Bayindir, offered little respite from this sense of unease.

“You don’t know what [Onana’s] going to do. Instead of just keeping it simple, he would do things he didn’t need to because of the number of people looking at him; for instance, a silly ball or a Cruyff turn.”

It is commonplace for a high-profile new forward, signed for an exorbitant fee, to overcomplicate things when in possession. Matheus Cunha is a case in point for this phenomenon.

It’s less rare for this analysis to apply to a goalkeeper, however. But in the case of Onana, a shot stopper signed for his abilities with the ball at his feet as much as with his hands, it is spot on.

“You don’t need to do that. You don’t need eyes on your goalkeeper – it can only end one way. And [Lammens] has settled that down perfectly,” Brown states,

“United needed somebody to settle things down, and he’s done so well that it’s taken people’s minds off of it, which is a good a thing,” the ex-defender concludes.

Lammens has been brilliantly simple since taking over as number one at Old Trafford – and this has made the 23-year-old a simply brilliant signing.

Featured image Gareth Copley via Getty Images

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social