Who starts in Goal in City vs United?: A Manchester derby that’s all about the keepers

Old rivalry, new goalkeepers. The derby between Manchester City and Manchester United fill bring the familiar blue vs red flavour to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, September 14 (16:30 BST). But each club may have a fresh face between the posts.

Both North West giants acquired new glovesmen on transfer deadline day. But will the new men start in net for these Manchester institutions? Or will City boss Pep Guardiola and United manager Ruben Amorim choose to stick rather than twist? Read on for the markets surrounding the question; Who starts in Goal in City vs United?

United have had a clear problem between the sticks for a while now. FA Cup penalty heroics aside, current top choice Altay Bayindir has faltered when it has mattered. Amorim started the season with the Turkey international, citing an injury that saw Onana miss pre-season. But Bayindir’s soft-wristed attempt to keep Riccardo Calafiori’s winner out ultimately cost the Red Devils their season opener against Arsenal.

A similarly unconvincing display against Burnley, albeit in a 3-2 victory, underlined the need to address the issue. Andre Onana did not give a particularly startling statement in his own defence after a torrid time in the penalty defeat to Grimsby in the Carabao Cup. The Champions League winner was at fault for both of the League 2 side’s goals, and failed to redeem himself as the 20-time Premier League winners wilted on penalties.

Amorim shrugged off turning to third-choice stopper Tom Heaton, perhaps harshly. But this was understandable given the 39-year-old has not played first team football in two years. The England international brings experience but the last time he played more than twice in a season was five years ago. 

Reinforcements were required and United’s summer window did have the goalkeeping department as a common thread. Perhaps buried beneath high-profile business like Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, but permeating nonetheless.

The two names who were a constant throughout were Aston Villa’s World Cup winner, Emiliano Martinez, and Royal Antwerp custodian Senne Lammens. The Villans rebuffed a loan bid early in the window for ‘Dibu’, while the Lammens deal would surface every once in a while even with Amorim defending Bayindir and Onana from scrutiny. 

Even going into deadline day, United fans did not know which shot-stopper would be manning the goal-line come September. The Martinez deal was intended as a loan while Lammens was a permanent deal. Ultimately, Ineos opted for the long-term attempt at a solution and Lammens signed for an initial £18.2m fee.

Another goalkeeper loosely linked with United was Gianluigi Donnarumma. But the Red Devils hierarchy were quick to distance themselves when the Italian’s position at Paris Saint-Germain became untenable. Instead, City embarked on something United did two years ago; the moving on of a long-term first-choice goalkeeper.

City had already signed a keeper in the summer. A familiar face, James Trafford returned to the Etihad from Burnley for between £27m and £31m whether you listen to the buying club or the selling one. If the Clarets have their sums right, Trafford would be the most expensive English goalkeeper of all-time.

Trafford snubbed Newcastle United to make the move. Certainly not the actions of a man content to play second fiddle. But, after starting City’s first three Premier League outings of the season, second-fiddle may be exactly where Trafford finds himself.

Ederson was allowed to join Fenerbahce on deadline day, meaning that whichever of Trafford or Donnarumma wins out, City will have a new number-one for the first time since 2017. Given the fact he was in net for the greatest period in the club’s history, with his passing ability a huge part of making Guardiola’s system tick, it is a huge loss.

Moving a goalie on too soon is an issue United may be able to warn their noisy neighbours about. Much was made of David De Gea, the club’s first-choice for a decade, failing to modernise his game. His passing metrics did not meet modern requirements that Pep and Ederson partially helped mould. So he was sold on for a goalkeeper in Onana who reputedly could do all that and more.

United’s latest acquisition has been sought to address a far more traditional goalkeeping problem; conceding too many goals. The Red Devils have shipped six goals in four games. Not a fatal total but a larger one than expected with Arsenal, Fulham, Grimsby and Burnley comprising their opening fixtures. 

So many of those goals have seemed preventable too. A common theme throughout the troubled twin-tenures of Onana and Bayindir. Adding Lammens to the mix, and it does seem to be to the mix if early reports from Old Trafford are to be believed, could ease the burden.

Amorim has been reluctant to blood new signings without a bedding-in period. While Cunha and Mbeumo started against Arsenal with a full pre-season behind them, Sesko is yet to start a competitive game until his fitness and tactical understanding meet the Portuguese’s exacting requirements

So United have three contenders for the jersey at the Etihad. Each has positives and negatives. Onana is experienced in big games but hits the self-destruct button with regularity. Bayindir is in situ and building an understanding with his defence. But he is not strong enough in a crowded box and can be beaten easily by a snapshot or close-range header. Lammens is promising and has broken into the Belgium squad at the age of 23. But he has just one full season of senior football behind him and is new to the league. It is a close-run race for who will wear the jersey against City.

On the blue side of the divide, things are slightly more clear-cut. Stefan Ortega, an able back-up to Ederson, was a constant subject of transfer buzz during the summer. Marcus Bettinelli swapped ticking a homegrown player box at Chelsea for four years for essentially filling the same role at City.

It is Trafford and Donnarumma who are the realistic contenders for the role. Two players signed with an expectation they would play plenty of football. Trafford is still only 22, but given the fact he has already played for England, he won’t have signed for second place. But Donnarumma has been one of the world’s best goalkeepers since his teens. It is hard to believe the Italy international is still only 26. These are his prime years.

Pep can be hard to predict tactically. Big games can see him throw market-busting curveballs. Apologies in advance that we don’t have odds for Erling Haaland to start in goal. Guardiola has less of a gulf in Premier League-specific experience to contend with. While Donnarumma is new to the league, Trafford has only played 31 top-flight games between Burnley and City. 

The goalkeeping position is in flux at both Manchester clubs for the first time during City’s Abu Dhabi-fuelled dominance. Joe Hart and Edwin van der Sar. Ederson and David de Gea. When City had Claudio Bravo, De Gea was in his pomp. When the Spaniard faltered, there was Ederson steady as a rock. But now both clubs have question marks, about existing figures and new buys. Welcome to a Manchester derby where all eyes are on the goalkeepers.

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