Senne Lammens makes a second successive start as Manchester United visit Liverpool today.
The Red Devils’ £18.2million Deadline Day signing from Royal Antwerp impressed with a clean sheet as he was handed his first appearance in English football prior to the international break in the 2-0 win over Sunderland at Old Trafford.
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Lammens’ commanding debut led to impressed United fans chanting “Are you [Peter] Schmeichel in disguise?”, with the Belgian stopper doing enough to keep his place ahead of Altay Bayindir at Anfield.
Asked about the praise for Lammens at his pre-Liverpool press conference on Friday, head coach Ruben Amorim said: “Nothing is impossible, you have to prove you can start every week. It is possible he can play. He is not Schmeichel yet, he is a young guy with talent and the fans liked it.”
The visit to Merseyside will come too soon for long-term United absentee Lisandro Martinez, who should resume full training soon.
Amorim confirmed wing-back Noussair Mazraoui would play no part against Liverpool following an unspecified knock, while young defender Ayden Heaven was forced off playing for England’s Under-20s last week.
Both Casemiro and Matheus Cunha start after playing for Brazil against Japan on Tuesday, though United’s other internationals who were given an extra day off training on Thursday - a number that included captain Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo - are ready to play.
“Licha [Martinez] is near, but almost returning to the trainings with the team,” Amorim said.
“Mazraoui, I don’t know. The rest of the guys, the national team [players], they are ready. But, if you saw the games, some players play in Japan, so we need to be careful, to give more time.
“Diogo [Dalot] didn’t play the last game [with Portugal], he was here [yesterday]. Bruno played 62 minutes, we gave [him] one more day [to recover].
“We try to balance everything to have everyone ready. But they are ready, the guys are returning from national teams. They are ready to play.”
Confirmed team news
Manchester United XI: Lammens; De Ligt, Maguire, Shaw; Amad, Fernandes (c), Casemiro, Dalot; Mount, Mbeumo; Cunha
Substitutes: Bayindir, Dorgu, Heaven, Mazraoui, Yoro, Mainoo, Ugarte, Sesko, Zirkzee.
