Eric Steele has now pinpointed two important things that have fallen in place for Senne Lammens at Old Trafford, including the role of Manchester United interim boss Michael Carrick.
Michael Carrick returned to Old Trafford and took up his current post at Manchester United after the Ineos regime sacked Ruben Amorim as Red Devils head coach.
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The 44-year-old Manchester United legend has now been tasked with seeing out the remainder of the Red Devils’ 2025-26 Premier League campaign.
Carrick has overseen four Premier League wins out of five since his appointment was made in January, with Senne Lammens keeping two clean sheets under him.
Lammens has continued to operate from his role as Man Utd’s No 1 this season, with Altay Bayindir playing a distant second fiddle to the 23-year-old Belgian player.
Eric Steele on Man Utd legend Michael Carrick and Senne Lammens’ debut season at Old Trafford
Senne Lammens has impressed for the Red Devils since Ineos brought the Belgium international to the Premier League club on deadline day last September.
The Manchester United summer signing has kept four clean sheets overall in his 21 matches across all competitions for the Red Devils in the 2025-26 campaign.
Speaking on The Athletic’s Talk of the Devils podcast, Eric Steele praised the impact that Michael Carrick has had on Lammens since his return to Old Trafford.
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However, the 71-year-old former Man Utd coach added that Lammens has equally benefited from a more robust four-man backline in front of him in recent weeks.
“Have to also say having Maguire in front of him, having Martinez in front of him, having a settled Dalot on one side, Luke Shaw on the other, that has surely helped him,” Steele explained.
“So again, down to credit to Michael Carrick, the fellow Geordie, coming in and bringing his staff in.
“I think that that’s been major as well for Lammens [and] for the team just having that settle back four and the settle… your best pals should always be your two centre-halves.”
Eric Steele on why the Man Utd centre-back pairing is super important for Senne Lammens under Michael Carrick
Carrick has stuck with the main centre-back pairing of Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire, who have started all five matches so far under his interim United reign.
Steele highlighted that Edwin van der Sar benefited from the role that United legend Nemanja Vidic would play in front of him during his time under Sir Alex Ferguson.
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“When I played many moons ago, I wanted to know everything about my centre-halves ‘cause you do have a lot of communication, a lot of work involved with them,” he continued.
“You know, Edwin, he had an unbelievable relationship with Vidic. You know Vidic, if somebody was cutting in on the near post, Edwin would actually steal a yard across the bigger part of the goal because he knew Vidic would get to the ball.”
Lammens left Royal Antwerp ahead of the 2025 summer transfer window closing and United signed the Belgium and Red Devils star for an initial fee of £18.1m.
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