Derby of keeper dilemmas: Man United, Man City both searching for answers in goal

It's evidence of how quickly things can change that at different points this summer, Ruben Amorim and Pep Guardiola, the managers of Manchester United and Manchester City, insisted they were happy with their goalkeepers.

Fast forward to the first Manchester derby of the season, which takes place Sunday, and Guardiola is weighing whether Gianluigi Donnarumma will make his debut at the Etihad Stadium. Amorim has opted for his No. 2 from last season, Altay Bayindir, to play ahead of deadline-day signing Senne Lammens from Antwerp. Bayindir is preferred, according to Amorim, because he has more experience.

Donnarumma, if selected, is unlikely to face a more pressure-packed moment in his City career than making his first Premier League appearance against United. His resume is not in doubt after a decade at the highest level with AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. There is a debate about whether the Italian is good enough with the ball at his feet to fit into Guardiola's system.

One way or another, the goalkeepers at both ends of the pitch Sunday will be one of the talking points of the afternoon.

United's mixed messaging

It's tempting to think United have lacked a clear plan with their goalkeepers. For most of the summer, André Onana thought he would remain the starter. He accepted Amorim's decision to leave him out of United's first game against Arsenal after missing most of the preseason because of a hamstring injury.

Onana was surprised that he didn't return for the next game against Fulham -- particularly after Bayindir made a costly mistake in the 1-0 loss to Arsenal. After the game, Amorim said he was happy with Onana, Bayindir and 39-year-old Tom Heaton as his three goalkeepers. Onana then made two mistakes in the shocking Carabao Cup defeat to Grimsby Town.

Onana remained convinced he would be the starter until the final weekend before the transfer deadline, when Amorim picked Bayindir in his starting XI to play Burnley, and United stepped up their intensity to sign Lammens. After rejecting interest from AS Monaco and Galatasaray, Cameroon international Onana has moved on loan to Trabzonspor to ensure he gets regular playing time.

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Amorim: The pressure of playing for Man Utd was difficult for Onana

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Onana's departure just two years after his £43.8 million move from Inter Milan left Amorim to choose between Bayindir and Lammens to face City. This time, Bayindir won the battle. The Turkey international has made only seven Premier League appearances since his move from Fenerbahce in 2023 and has looked shaky at times this season. Any slipup at the Etihad, and the clamor among fans for Lammens will only intensify.

Lammens: GK of the future or the present?

Privately, United have tempered expectations around the arrival of 23-year-old Lammens and stressed that he's considered a project with a high ceiling rather than a ready-made No. 1. Director of football Jason Wilcox echoed that approach when Lammens signed, the Belgium youth international is "an excellent young goalkeeper with great potential."

Lammens hasn't made his full debut for Belgium and has just one full season in the Belgian Pro League. But because of continuing doubts about Bayindir, some supporters believe Lammens must play right away. Many wanted him to start against City, even if it meant getting his first taste of the Premier League in the cauldron of a derby.

Lammens wouldn't have been the first United goalkeeper to debut in a big game. Massimo Taibi made his debut in a 3-2 win over Liverpool in September 1999, less than two weeks after his £4.5 million move from Venezia. Despite being at fault for one of Liverpool's goals, Taibi made three good saves and was named Man of the Match at Anfield.

But it was one just four league appearances for Taibi at United, as a howler in a 3-3 draw against Southampton and in a 5-0 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge brought a premature end to his career at Old Trafford. By January, he was back in Italy on loan at Reggina, proof of how difficult it is to be United's No. 1.

Regarding why Onana's move from Inter Milan has not worked out, Amorim hinted that the goalkeeper could not deal with the spotlight that comes with what Gary Neville believes is "the hardest job in English football."

"In this club, the pressure is sometimes so hard on every detail," Amorim said on Friday. For now, all eyes are on Bayindir.

City facing their own questions

Guardiola is no stranger to throwing a goalkeeper in the deep end in a Manchester derby.

After arriving in 2016, the new City boss quickly jettisoned No. 1 Joe Hart and replaced him with Claudio Bravo. The Chile international made his first appearance against United at Old Trafford after a £17 million move from Barcelona. City won 2-1, but Bravo was at fault for United's goal, dropping a high ball and allowing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to score.

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Afterward, Guardiola defended Bravo by insisting he had been signed to "play in our buildup" -- something he quickly decided Hart couldn't do. Bravo didn't last long, but Guardiola's preference for a ball-playing goalkeeper eventually led City to Ederson. The Brazil international arrived in 2017 and helped Guardiola win 18 major trophies in nine years, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League.

At the start of the summer, Guardiola said he expected Ederson to stay for at least one more year. He was wrong, and Ederson's departure to Fenerbahce on deadline day was quickly followed by Donnarumma's arrival. The Italy international is viewed as one of the best in the world, but it raises questions about what it means for Guardiola's tactics.

Ederson's ability on the ball meant he could almost operate as an 11th outfield player. Donnarumma is considered a great shot-stopper, but he isn't as comfortable on the ball as Ederson. It's one of the reasons PSG coach Luis Enrique replaced him with Lucas Chevalier from Lille over the summer.

Last season, Ederson's forward pass accuracy in Ligue 1 and Champions League was 73%. Donnarumma's was 56%. Ederson's long pass accuracy (anything 32 meters or more) was 57% compared with 40% for Donnarumma. In overall pass accuracy, goal-kick accuracy, passes per 90 minutes, forward passes per 90 minutes and chances created, Ederson rated higher.

Donnarumma is capable with his feet, but he's not Ederson.

"I will not demand [Donnarumma] do something he's uncomfortable [with]," Guardiola said at a news conference on Friday. "We're talking about the best player I've ever seen in distribution short and long in Ederson. We didn't take [Donnarumma] to do what Ederson has done. He has other qualities."

Guardiola could pick James Trafford against United after he rejoined City in a £27 million deal from Burnley in the summer. Trafford grew up learning Guardiola's philosophy in City's academy and played for one of his coaching disciples, Vincent Kompany, at Turf Moor. The 22-year-old has started all three Premier League games this season, but it's unlikely Donnarumma has agreed to move to Manchester just to sit on the bench.

Goalkeeper focus set to continue

Amorim has spared Lammens a baptism of fire against City. Guardiola says he's still deciding whether Trafford will keep his place or Donnarumma should go straight in.

The questions are unlikely to go away. Speaking at their prematch news conferences, Amorim and Guardiola left the door open for changes. Amorim said Bayindir and Lammens will "fight for the [No. 1] position," while Guardiola noted, "the season is so long, everyone will be involved. They may not believe it, but they will."

Any mistakes at the Etihad and the changes will come sooner rather than later.