Senne Lammens responds to Paul Scholes criticism over Man Utd form

Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens (Picture: Getty)

Senne Lammens said he has to be ‘mentally strong’ after Paul Scholes suggested the ‘jury is still out’ on the Manchester United goalkeeper.

Belgian goalkeeper Lammens completed an £18.1m move to United from Royal Antwerp on transfer deadline day last summer.

But despite his moderate fee and low profile, Lammens quickly displaced Altay Bayindir to become the first choice under Ruben Amorim and his replacement Michael Carrick.

The 24-year-old kept eight clean sheets in his 32 Premier League appearances last season, with former Red Devils midfielder Owen Hargreaves labelling him United’s ‘signing of the season’.

But United’s sluggish start to this campaign has not left everyone convinced that Lammens is the long-term solution between the sticks.

Speaking after United’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester City, United legend Scholes said: ‘What team have you seen win the Premier League without a top-class goalkeeper?

‘Lammens might be that, I don’t know, I think the jury’s probably still out on that.

Lammens joined United last season (Picture: Reuters)

‘You need a top class goalkeeper. You think of Liverpool’s team with Alisson, City’s teams, Raya at Arsenal. Man United with Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar.

‘They’ve all got brilliant, brilliant goalkeepers. You start from the back, of course you do.’

Asked about Scholes’ comments and the eyeballs on him at United, Lammens insisted that the scrutiny ‘is not easy for everyone’.

Paul Scholes suggested the jury is still out on Lammens (Picture: Getty)

‘I have not changed character by playing football at Manchester United,’ Lammens said.

‘You have to be mentally strong and self-confident in the face of all those people who express their opinions. I can imagine that this is not easy for everyone.