One side picked up a Champions League winner, the other went for a stopper with high potential. It’ll be interesting to see who fares best.
| Manchester’s goalkeeper boosts | Odds |
|---|---|
| City to keep a clean sheet vs United | 2.75 |
| United to keep a clean sheet vs City | 6.50 |
| City to win the Premier League | 8.00 |
| United to finish in the top six | 2.10 |
Odds courtesy of 1xBet. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
New men between the sticks
Gianluigi Donnarumma is the safe pair of hands. At 26, he’s won four league titles, six domestic cups, a European Championship and a Champions League - and he played a big part in all of them. With over 400 career appearances already, the giant goalkeeper comes to Manchester with a wealth of experience and still plenty of room for growth.
Ederson’s time at Manchester City was littered with trophies, and he’ll be fondly remembered at the Etihad, but all things come to an end. Donnarumma, after a stellar season with Paris Saint-Germain, is perfectly placed to pick up the mantle. Meanwhile, James Trafford will feel the pressure after a few difficult results.
Across town, Manchester United have turned to Belgium. Senne Lammens doesn’t have Donnarumma’s reputation, but representing his nation at practically every level is seen as a very bright prospect. At 23, he’s not yet hit his peak, and could be exactly what the Red Devils need in a torrid time.
Andre Onana has faced criticism at Old Trafford, and Altay Bayındır hasn’t had the best time either. The hope is that their new stopper can come in and help Ruben Amorim’s side get back on their feet again.
The two teams need different qualities in goal at the moment, and that’s exactly what their new signings got. The question is - which one will prove to be the better signing?
Do Donnarumma and Lammens improve the Manchester clubs?
The Italian is an interesting one, because he’s certainly not known for his ball-playing style typically favoured by Pep Guardiola goalkeepers. While competent with his feet, he’s not really a sweeper keeper. In a City context, he’s more Joe Hart than Ederson, and that’s an intriguing choice from the manager.
Donnarumma is a more traditional goalkeeper, and it’ll be interesting to see what his arrival means for the Cityzens. Will they play longer, dominate possession less, but get up the field more? If so, it could lead to more goals in their games, at both ends.
For PSG, in Ligue 1, the 26-year-old’s save percentage was solid - 66.2% wasn’t far behind Ederson’s in the Premier League. In the Champions League, however, it rose to 72% as they went all the way to win it, and he was a key figure for them throughout.
Four clean sheets in Ligue 1 will be a bit of a concern, as his goals prevented a total of -3.6, but that isn’t to suggest that he’s not a very good goalkeeper. He is, and his incredible size and reach should help City get back on track.
Lammens, meanwhile, is a man for the big moments. He comes on board from Royal Antwerp amid a bit of a keeper crisis at Old Trafford, and will be expected to hit the ground running. We could see a new shot-stopper in both nets come the Manchester derby later this month.
The 23-year-old was amongst the best in Europe for his shot-stopping last season, and made more saves than any counterpart in the Pro League. A fun stat for United fans, after that shock Grimsby Town defeat, is that he’s also saved five of the last seven penalties he’s faced. His arrival should help Amorim’s side keep more clean sheets, and in turn win more games of football.
In short, both Donnarumma and Lammens should improve their new clubs - and help them push forward. A clean sheet for either on derby day in a couple of weeks’ time would go down as the perfect start.