Ruben Amorim will love what Man Utd's Altay Bayindir did after Senne Lammens debut
Altay Bayindir was left out of the Manchester United team to face Sunderland on Saturday as Ruben Amorim handed a debut to Senne Lammens
In recent years, Manchester United have seen more seasoned professionals than Altay Bayindir allow their emotions to get the better of them when they are replaced in the starting line-up. Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, was livid after being substituted by Erik ten Hag.
More recently, Alejandro Garnacho voiced his frustrations before and after the Europa League final as he made little more than a cameo appearance in Bilbao. Bayindir was not at his sparkling best against Brentford last weekend.
He should have perhaps done better for the second goal. However, he will have sat on the bench last season watching Andre Onana put in worse performances and keep his place in the squad.
And yet on Saturday, Amorim chose to give Senne Lammens his debut following his deadline day switch from Royal Antwerp. Undoubtedly, this would have been a bitter blow for the Turkish goalkeeper, who would have hoped to have made the No.1 position his own in the wake of Onana's exit.
And yet, instead of dwelling on the issue, Bayindir showed his maturity and celebrated with his teammate after he made a solid first appearance for United. This is exactly what the Reds need now more than ever.
Yes, there has been a lack of quality at times under Amorim but team spirit has been clear for all to see. Fortunately, what we saw from Bayindir is a player who will not sulk and mope around the club because he has missed out on a start.
It seems he's genuinely pleased for Lammens and his fellow players, as evidenced by his post-match social media activity. This surely contributes to a more positive vibe in the changing room.
Naturally, you wouldn't want to lose that competitive drive and the will to fight for your place in the team. From Amorim's point of view, he'll be hopeful he sees this squad take inspiration from Bayindir and Lammens, striking the right balance between competitiveness and team unity.
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