Amorim to roll the dice with two huge selections in Man Utd vs Man City clash

A trusted reporter on all things Manchester United expects Ruben Amorim to make two major selection calls in arguably the most important positions for the derby clash with Manchester City on Sunday.

Man Utd secured a much needed morale-boosting win prior to the international break when Bruno Fernandes’ late penalty secured the club’s first victory of the season. But with a trip to the Etihad up next on Sunday, the late heroics against Burnley could be quickly forgotten.

In truth, Man City might actually need the three points more than United. Pep Guardiola’s side splashed the cash in the summer but have tasted defeat twice in three Premier League matches so far. If City don’t improve and quickly, they can kiss their chances of a title challenge goodbye.

All eyes will be on Manchester at 4:30pm on Sunday, and according to The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell, there could be a surprise or two at 3:15pm too.

Clubs release their starting elevens one hour and 15 minutes prior to kick-off and with Andre Onana heading to Trabzonspor on loan, numerous sources and outlets have declared Senne Lammens to be Man Utd’s new No 1 goalkeeper.

However, Whitwell – who specialises in covering Man Utd – strongly suggested Amorim will continue with Altay Bayindir in goal for the clash with City. Bayindir has started all three of United’s league matches this season without looking convincing in any.

Whitwell wrote: ‘Amorim, who backed enquiries about Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez during the summer window, would stay true to form by sticking with Bayindir at the Etihad.’

Much has been made in the media about Lammens’ inexperience. Despite being 23 years of age, he has just one full campaign of Belgian top flight football under his belt.

Among the reasons Man Utd are loaning Onana out, per Fabrizio Romano, is to help ease the pressure on Lammens.

Having a high profile and expensive signing like Onana on the bench would become a talking point if and when Lammens makes a mistake.

United have removed Onana from the equation, though if Whitwell is correct, Amorim doesn’t want to throw Lammens into the deep end from day one – even if he is unofficially Man Utd’s new No 1 goalkeeper.

Benjamin Sesko to make first league start

Elsewhere, Whitwell was strong in the claims £73.7m striker, Benjamin Sesko, will make make his first Premier League start in the derby.

Sesko started the ill-fated League Cup defeat to Grimsby Town but as yet, has only been used off the bench in the league.

“It’s been interesting the fact he hasn’t started [in the Premier League] so far,” began Whitwell when speaking on Talk of the Devils.

“Is that Amorim wanting to wait for him to adjust to English football and the connections he needs with his teammates in the attack?

“Is it loyalty and fidelity to Mason Mount who has started the season really well?

“But the injury to Mount now and the injury to Matheus Cunha does really raise the prospects of Sesko starting this game. It would be strange if he didn’t start now.”

When quizzed on if he really believes Sesko will start, Whitwell added: “I think so, particularly if Cunha and Mount are injured I just don’t see how he doesn’t.”

Whitwell then explained why even if Mount and Cunha were both available, he’d still expect Sesko to start anyway.

“But even then, this is a striker you’ve spent a lot of money on, you’ve pretty much forced Rasmus Hojlund to leave to get him in,” he added.

“To then not start him in a game as big as this would start to look a little bit curious, like what is the issue here?”

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