It was a good day at the office for Ruben Amorim and Manchester United as they finally got one over their bogey team, and they had Matheus Cunha’s opener to thank for it.
Matheus Cunha curled in a beautiful strike in the 24th minute to give Man Utd a well-deserved lead, getting off the mark in a red shirt in the process.
It was a long time coming and well-deserved for the Brazilian, who had been putting in thankless but brilliant displays in multiple positions.
However, it likely wouldn’t have mattered much had Senne Lammens not done what he did just before Cunha’s goal. That sums up the biggest change at the club.
Senne Lammens’ moment flies under the radar
Cunha scored in the 24th minute, and by then, United should have arguably had a penalty already, while they were knocking on the door too.
However, a case can be made that Brighton could already have been ahead by that point, a statement which Man Utd fans who have watched Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana in goal would agree with.
That is because in the 20th minute, Brighton won a corner, and their strategy was one that fans are all too familiar with.
As soon as the corner was floated in, Brighton defender Van Hecke, with no regard for where the ball was, jumped straight into Senne Lammens.
Bayindir and Onana have been shaken that way, leading to easy goals being conceded and Old Trafford getting tense, a feeling that reverberates through the players as well.
Lammens was determined to change that script.
Despite Van Hecke bodying him in the air, Lammens confidently stepped out, took the contact in the air, and caught the ball with minimum fuss.
The game stayed at 0-0, United stayed in the ascendancy, and the opener arrived less than four minutes later.
In an alternate world, Bayindir or Onana spills that corner, United concede the opener, a feeling of “here we go again” runs through the crowd and the team collapses again.
That, right there, is the biggest change at United.
Lammens is winning games for Man Utd
Lammens is yet to make that highlight reel save that goes viral on social media, and Ruben Amorim would prefer if it stays that way.
That is because he’s doing the basics right and doing so without any chest-thumping, back-slapping, or high-fiving his teammates to look like a leader.
He goes about his job with extreme concentration and focus, and goes off the pitch under the radar, having completed a good day’s work.
The confidence a goalkeeper like that inspires in his teammates can’t be stated enough, because the defence looks more secure with him in goal.
The feeling of dread in the crowd is gone, and that helps the players. Every set-piece no longer feels like a goal waiting to happen, and the opposition doesn’t test the goalkeeper from all angles, hoping one will stick because a mistake is around the corner.
Lammens is winning games for United by just doing a no-fuss job. It’s not a coincidence that United’s win streak started with his debut and has continued since then.
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