Hargreaves names Lammens Man United's best signing as top-four push secured
Owen Hargreaves has identified Senne Lammens as the club's most valuable acquisition, arguing that without the Belgian shot-stopper's interventions, Manchester United would not have secured a top-four finish.
Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has publicly identified goalkeeper Senne Lammens as the club's best signing of the season. The endorsement follows Lammens' four saves during United's goalless draw against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, a performance that Hargreaves described as instrumental in the team avoiding defeat.
The former 2008 Champions League winner stated that without Lammens' intervention, United would have almost certainly lost the match. He specifically highlighted the keeper's cost-effectiveness, noting that he was not an expensive acquisition yet provided immense value to the squad. Hargreaves argued that the club's strategy of prioritising attacking players like Matheus Cunha and Mbeumo to secure goals was the correct approach to reach Champions League qualification.
Hargreaves explicitly stated that if United had not sorted the goalkeeper out, they would not be in the top four. He credited the shot-stopper with being the key enabler of the team's success, suggesting that while the attacking additions were designed to score, the defensive stability provided by Lammens was the foundation of their third-place standing.
The match statistics confirm that Lammens prevented an estimated 2.05 goals against Sunderland. During the stalemate, the hosts dominated possession and duels, forcing the goalkeeper into action almost immediately to deny Noah Sadiki's effort. In the second half, Lammens again produced an excellent save to deny Brian Brobbey, who seemed sure to open the scoring before the final whistle.
United struggled to create chances throughout the fixture, registering their first shot on target only in the 93rd minute. Following the match, head coach Michael Carrick defended the team's commitment after the game, rejecting suggestions of a lack of effort despite the drab performance.
United are next in action on Sunday when they welcome Nottingham Forest to Old Trafford in their final home game of the Premier League campaign.
