Manchester Derby Goalkeeper Abnormalities

MANCHESTER, SATURDAY — The role of the goalkeeper is often overlooked. However, an abnormality arose ahead of the Manchester City versus Manchester United match. The figures of the goalkeepers on both sides have become the main focus. Due to the squad overhaul, in addition to the dilemma of player selection, all goalkeepers will be debutants in the derby.

Although they are from the same city, City and MU are almost always at odds. When successful, City will mock their rival team. The same goes for the opposite scenario. Unlike at the beginning of this season, both teams share a sense of unease regarding their goalkeeper positions. They are dissatisfied with the performances of their main goalkeepers, namely Ederson Moraes (City) and Andre Onana (MU).

The dissatisfaction triggered activities on the deadline day of the transfer window. Moraes and Onana were released to other clubs. Then, City brought in star goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain. MU recruited young Belgian national team goalkeeper Senne Lammens. All of this is aimed at improving the situation from behind the goal line.

For City and MU, the Manchester derby seems to come at an inopportune time. The match will take place after the international break, on Sunday (14/9/2025) at 22:30 WIB at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Both managers are faced with a dilemma in the goalkeeper position, between trying something new or playing it safe with the previous goalkeeper.

I'm not going to ask Gigi (Donnarumma) to do anything he's not comfortable with. We're not asking him to be like Ederson.

Pep Guardiola, the City Manager, sounded as if he would be giving a debut to Donnarumma. When asked about another goalkeeper, James Trafford, he immediately discussed the urgency of squad depth to face the numerous matches this season. "I can only play one goalkeeper," he stated.

Donnarumma, who has just won the Champions League trophy, is undoubtedly of high quality. However, the Italian national team goalkeeper will be playing in a new team and country with a very significant first match. Adaptation is also Guardiola's biggest concern, as City has relied on Ederson since the 2017-18 season.

"I will not ask Gigi (Donnarumma) to do something that is uncomfortable for him. We are not asking him to be like Ederson. It is not about comparing one to another, but they are indeed different (types). He is very big and tall. That is what we will get, his great presence," said Guardiola.

Ederson is a more modern type of "sweeper" goalkeeper. He often runs out of the penalty area to assist the defenders. When in possession of the ball, he is very comfortable delivering riskier passes from the back. Donnarumma is more traditional, rarely improvising with his feet.

In contrast to the host, coach Ruben Amorim is more cautious. He ensures that goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, who has been trusted since the beginning of the season, will return to play at the Etihad. For him, Lammens, who is only 23 years old and comes from the Belgian League, still needs time to adapt.

"We are very pleased, he (Lammens) is a very promising goalkeeper, but Altay will continue (his duties). This is a different league and a different country. We are trying to find that consistency, especially in training and (the use of) the ball. Only after that will they compete for the starting position," explained Amorim.

Interestingly, all the goalkeepers from City and MU will be making their debut in the Manchester derby. Among the four available goalkeepers, only Bayindir is not a new player. However, during his two seasons at MU, Bayindir has never been trusted to play in the derby. Moreover, the derby is always more intense compared to regular matches.

Although he has conceded four goals in three matches and has yet to record a clean sheet, Bayindir's performance has been quite solid so far. He can provide more comfort for the MU defenders, especially compared to Onana. However, Bayindir's awkwardness in set-piece situations could be exploited by City.

Amorim hopes that the "Red Devils" will have a goalkeeper who can be relied upon in the long term, similar to the legendary figure Edwin van der Sar. Onana, purchased in the summer of 2023, was actually projected to be a mainstay for MU for many years to come. However, he only lasted two seasons due to being trapped in inconsistency.

In addition to the goalkeeper issue, City and MU are actually not yet fully prepared in terms of overall performance. Both teams started the season poorly. City suffered two consecutive defeats before the international break, while MU only managed to win against the promoted team Burnley in their first three matches of the Premier League.

Guardiola faces a more unfavorable situation. He will be up against Amorim, who was his "kryptonite" last season. In the last three encounters between the two coaches, Guardiola has never won and has lost twice. Amorim defeated Guardiola with two teams, MU (2-1) and Sporting CP (4-1).

The host team is also troubled by a storm of injuries. Many key players have been forced to sit out, including Omar Marmoush, Rayan Ait Nouri, and Rayan Cherki. Nevertheless, the quality of Erling Haaland and his teammates still surpasses that of the neighboring team, which has only been a shadow for the past decade. (AP/REUTERS)