Ashley Young says Man Utd star has regressed under Michael Carrick – ‘he hasn’t looked the same’
Ashley Young has criticised Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens for the two first-half goals that he conceded against Aston Villa.
Man Utd made a nightmare start against Villa at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday evening.
Unai Emery’s side raced to a 2-0 lead against the Red Devils after just four minutes.
Villa went ahead against Michael Carrick’s side in the very first minute through Alysson.
Lammens should have done better than let Alysson’s shot go underneath him.
Man Utd conceded the second goal just three minutes later.
Lammens saved Alysson’s slow shot, but the Belgium international could only parry it to the feet of Nicolas Jackson to score from close range.
Former Man Utd and Villa star Ashley Young was not impressed with Lammens and believes that the 24-year-old Belgium international goalkeeper has changed since the 2026 World Cup.
Man Utd goalkeeper Senne Lammens criticised for Aston Villa display
Young said on Sky Sports Premier League (5:28pm, November 8, 2026) while analysing the first goal for Villa: “For me, on the goal, Diogo Dalot, you have got to defend your goal.
“Slide in. Slide in. He is going in with his opposite foot.
“And then the goalkeeper doesn’t do himself any glory here.
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“You know, I think since the World Cup, he made that mistake, and he hasn’t looked the same as last season.”
Man Utd legend Roy Keane was also critical of Lammens.
While analysing the second goal for Villa, Keane noted: “Nightmare start for Utd. Obviously, never got going.
“Villa looked sharp. Again, the set piece, nice layoff, shot on target. The keeper has got to do better.
“And like all top strikers, you look at the reaction.
“He is on the move again, poor from Utd. The goalkeeper – standard save.”
In September, former Man Utd coach Rene Meulensteen said that the Red Devils should have signed Unai Simon from Athletic Bilbao to replace Lammens in the summer of 2026.
Meulensteen said: “Don’t get me wrong, he had a really good season, he made some remarkable saves and he helped United a lot.
“Would I name him in the same breath as Peter Schmeichel, Edwin van der Sar, David de Gea? No. Can he get there? Not sure.
“I doubt it because I always do my due diligence on things and one of the things I felt with him, he’s still young, but obviously what happened with him at the World Cup is something I identified in him.
“I think really critical people will probably look at him with the first goal against Everton, near post.
“For me, if you talk about strengthening, you talk about the two most important people on the pitch: the goalkeeper and the striker.
“If one can sort goals out and the other can make sure he keeps clean sheets, you’ve got a good chance of winning.”
Meulensteen added: “I thought it would have been a really good bet to get him, I would have gone for Unai Simon from Athletic Bilbao.
“He was so impressive, for me, and we played him in a friendly with Iraq and he was so impressive throughout that whole World Cup campaign of Spain.
“He was so on the front foot, reading the game well, managing that backline and he made every save when he was called upon.
“What you then get is a World Cup winner with a presence and I don’t think Lammens has got that yet.
“If he can get there then it has to be on the basis of really good performances and consistency.”
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