Belgian media react to Senne Lammens display v France amid Man Utd exit call
Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens’s performance for Belgium against France in the UEFA Nations League on Monday has been hailed in the local media, but three pundits will probably need more from him to be convinced.
Lammens started in goal for Belgium against France at Stade Roi Baudouin in UEFA Nations League – League A -Group 1 clash on Monday evening.
France won the match 1-0, thanks to Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise’s goal after 88 minutes.
Lammens could not do much about the goal from Olise, but the Man Utd goalkeeper kept France out on other occasions.
The 24-year-old goalkeeper made a total of five saves during the game, with three coming from shots inside the box.
Belgian publication Het Belang van Limburg gave Lammens 6 out of 10 in its Player Ratings.
The news outlet noted about the Man Utd goalkeeper: ‘Was saved by the crossbar before the break, and by the post in the second half.
‘Also received help from Lavia on the line once.
‘Saved everything he had to save for a long time, until Olise struck in the closing stages.’
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Man Utd urged to replace Senne Lammens
Lammens has been on the books of Man Utd since the summer of 2025, when he joined from Royal Antwerp.
The Red Devils paid €21million plus €4m in add-ons (a total of £21.6m, $29m) for Lammens.
The goalkeeper took a while to impress then Man Utd manager Ruben Amorim, but the Belgian eventually grew into his role and established himself as the number one between the sticks for the Red Devils.
In late April, The Daily Mail journalist Nathan Salt named Lammens as his Premier League signing of the season, with The Athletic, too, subsequently giving him the same accolade.
However, the jury is still out on Lammens, who is the first-choice goalkeeper for Man Utd under manager Michael Carrick.
Earlier this month, former Man Utd coach Rene Meulensteen said that the Red Devils should have signed Unai Simon from Athletic Bilbao to replace Lammens.
Meulensteen said: “Don’t get me wrong, he had a really good season, he made some remarkable saves and he helped United a lot.
“Would I name him in the same breath as Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar, David de Gea? No. Can he get there? Not sure.
“I doubt it because I always do my due diligence on things and one of the things I felt with him, he’s still young, but obviously what happened with him at the World Cup is something I identified in him.
“I think really critical people will probably look at him with the first goal against Everton, near post.
“For me, if you talk about strengthening, you talk about the two most important people on the pitch: the goalkeeper and the striker.
“If one can sort goals out and the other can make sure he keeps clean sheets, you’ve got a good chance of winning.”
Meulensteen added: “I thought it would have been a really good bet to get him, I would have gone for Unai Simon from Athletic Bilbao.
“He was so impressive, for me, and we played him in a friendly with Iraq and he was so impressive throughout that whole World Cup campaign of Spain.
“He was so on the front foot, reading the game well, managing that backline and he made every save when he was called upon.
“What you then get is a World Cup winner with a presence and I don’t think Lammens has got that yet.
“If he can get there then it has to be on the basis of really good performances and consistency.”
Scholes also has his doubts
Man Utd legend Paul Scholes also said this month that he is not entirely convinced by Lammens.
The former England international midfielder said on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast: “What team have you seen win the Premier League without a top-class goalkeeper?
“Lammens might be that; I don’t know; I think the jury’s probably still out on that, and then you build from the back four, like Arsenal.
“It’s the way Arsenal started three or four years ago.
“Defensively, they have been absolutely brilliant.
“You need a top-class goalkeeper.
“You think of Liverpool’s team with Alisson, City’s teams with… Raya at Arsenal, Man United with Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar.
“They’ve all got brilliant, brilliant goalkeepers.
“You start from the back, of course you do.
“Whether Michael has just got to be patient and wait for that, I don’t know.”
On Monday, former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor urged Man Utd to sign Gianluigi Donnarumma from Manchester City, should the Cityzens be relegated from the Premier League due to alleged FFP breaches.
Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT (9:25am, September 28): “Donnarumma – I have been watching Lammens. Poor at the World Cup, cost Belgium in that game, and I think he has not been great this season.
“Look at the own goal – Lisandro Martinez against Fulham. He has got to be better with that save. I am not convinced in him.
“I will say Donnarumma to Manchester United. Manchester United will go and nick their number one goalkeeper.”
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