Ruben Defends Goalkeeper Bayindir Over Arsenal Blunder as Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim insisted that the Premier League title opener should not be remembered solely for his goalkeeper’s costly mistake. Despite Bayindir’s misjudged attempt to deal with a 13th–minute corner that allowed Riccardo Calafiori to score, Amorim believes the responsibility does not lie entirely with the Turkish international and instead pointed to the physical nature of Arsenal’s challenge inside the box.
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Bayindir’s Early Error and United’s Missed Chances
Arsenal made the most of their first real opportunity when Bayindir came under pressure from William Saliba and failed to catch the ball cleanly, leaving Calafiori free to head home at the far post. Though United responded strongly with new signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo adding energy and creativity to the attack, they were repeatedly denied by goalkeeper David Raya. United ended the match with 22 attempts on goal but, to Amorim’s frustration, simply could not find the finish they needed.
Amorim Defends His Keeper
When asked if he was disappointed with the goal, Amorim defended Bayindir’s decision and said the goalkeeper had two options in that moment—either push the players or take the ball. He argued that Bayindir chose to reach for the ball without pushing, which made it difficult to defend the corner, but pointed out that this type of contact is allowed and United must start using the same physical approach.
Previous Set-Piece Concerns Addressed
Bayindir was previously criticised for conceding directly from a Son Heung-min corner last season, but Amorim dismissed comparisons and explained that goal came in a match without VAR. He added that in the following game against Arsenal, Bayindir saved a penalty and was one of United’s best players. For him, there was no reason to drop the Turkish goalkeeper in favour of Tom Heaton just because Arsenal pose a threat from set pieces.
United the Better Team but Beaten
Amorim stressed that his side were the better team overall but ultimately paid the price for one early error. Patrick Dorgu also came close to equalising when he hit the outside of the post, but it summed up a night where little went United’s way.
Arteta Praises Arsenal’s Resilience
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted his team were below their usual level and made too many sloppy mistakes throughout the match. However, he praised his players for their reaction and for finding a way to win despite not playing well. Arteta believes that kind of resilience and ability to grind out results will be crucial during a long season.
