Manchester United boss, Ruben Amorim made a bold call ahead of Sunday’s trip to Newcastle — leaving out first-choice keeper Andre Onana after a wave of recent mistakes, most notably in the Europa League first leg against Lyon.
But if Amorim expected calm from the storm, what he got instead was a new kind of chaos — and possibly a full-blown goalkeeping crisis.
Altay Bayindir, handed his first Premier League start, endured a nightmare debut between the sticks as Newcastle United ran riot with a 4-0 victory, ruthlessly exposing the gamble that could define United’s season.
Bayindir’s Big Chance Turns Sour
With Onana not even named on the bench — whether a tactical rest or a silent demotion — all eyes turned to Bayindir, a £4.3 million signing from Fenerbahce who had waited nearly a year for this opportunity.
It took less than 90 minutes for that opportunity to fall apart.
The Turkish international conceded four goals from six shots on target, struggled under aerial pressure, and completed just 47.4% of his passes — a stat that became painfully relevant when his careless chipped pass to midfield was intercepted by Joelinton and punished by Bruno Guimarães for Newcastle’s fourth.
It was the kind of error that left pundits questioning not just Bayindir’s sharpness — but Amorim’s judgment.
Onana Out, But For How Long?
The decision to drop Onana came days after his blunders in Lyon gifted the French side two goals in the 2-2 draw.
It was the latest in a growing list of mishaps — eight errors leading to goals since the start of last season, more than any other Premier League keeper.
But former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes Amorim’s decision to bench him was less about punishment and more about protection.
“Sometimes you need to take the goalkeeper out of the firing line,” Robinson said on 5 Live.
“It’s good man-management — but only if you handle the next step right. I don’t expect to see him play on Thursday.”
That next step? The Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon at Old Trafford — arguably Amorim’s most important match since arriving at United.
With a trophy and Champions League qualification still within reach, the Portuguese boss now faces a dilemma: recall a rattled Onana or stick with a shaky Bayindir.
A Gamble That Could Haunt United
The risk of rotating goalkeepers at this stage of the season is immense. And Amorim may have just discovered the hard way that changing keepers mid-stream can cause more problems than it solves.
Now, United’s manager faces a defining decision: trust the out-of-form keeper who’s cracked under pressure, or stick with the backup who already has. Either way, the margin for error is gone.
Thursday could determine the fate of United’s season — and Amorim’s reign.
