Senne Lammens knows he has the qualities to play for Manchester United, and backed it up with an assured performance in our slender 1-0 win over Everton.
The Belgian goalkeeper was good value for his clean sheet, not only keeping out the four shots on target Everton mustered, but also holding on to a couple to diffuse the pressure.
Each time the 23-year-old kept his cool, more often than not rising above the packed six-yard box to safely punch the hosts’ deliveries away, as the Toffees’ physical side tried to crowd him out from each of their 10 corners in the game.
It laid the foundations for Benjamin Sesko to come off the bench and score a crucial goal for the third time in four games.
“If you work together, if you defend well, if you don't give goals away, then we have players up top who can make the difference,”
Lammens told Sky Sports after the final whistle. “One flash, one counter, and then you can score.
“And if you keep the zero, then you can win away in this hard game. So, I'm really happy today.
“I think since the manager's [come] in as well, we've been defending really well together, actually all season almost.
“So, we knew if me personally and the defence give us a chance, keep the zero, now we always have a chance to win, and that was the case today.
“Like I said, it wasn't the prettiest one, but if you work that hard for it, sometimes it's the best one.”
As luck would have it, for one of the Belgian’s best performances of the season, legendary former United gloveman Edwin van der Sar was on the Monday Night Football panel, and he highlighted the way Lammens dealt with the pressure from corners.
“Yeah, we knew it was going to be difficult,”
Senne replied to the Dutchman. “I mean, they're a really physical team, especially their defence is really big.
“We knew that the corners and the set-pieces were going to be really difficult. It's a strength of mine, so I'm happy I could help the team again today.”
The praise went even further as Van der Sar, who won four league titles and a UEFA Champions League title with the Reds, noted that he saw elements of himself in Lammens, particularly his cool temperament.
“[I] just try to stay calm, play my own game,”
the Belgium international revealed. “I know I have the qualities, I wouldn't be here otherwise.
“So, [I] just believe in myself, the players around me and my teammates support me really much.
“Now I just keep on building, keep getting that confidence. Like today, getting those wins, feeling important, is really important.
“And yeah, like you said, if I'm in a comparison with Edwin van der Sar, it's always nice to hear.”