They were cheers normally reserved for the ball hitting the back of the net. Teammates rushed to congratulate him as if he had discovered a new energy source.
But all Senne Lammens did was catch a relatively routine cross against a newly-promoted side.
This is how low the bar is at Manchester United when judging the quality of their recent goalkeepers.
It took six years to properly replace Peter Schmeichel, with the evidence of the past few years indicating it appeared supporters were set for a similar period of goalkeeping purgatory as they look to move on from David de Gea.
That was until towards the end of the first half at Old Trafford on Saturday. Lammens plucking the ball out of the air was just part of an all-round assured performance against Sunderland rarely seen around M16 in the post-De Gea error-strewn years.
A commanding start for Senne Lammens in the @ManUtd goal
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 5, 2025pic.twitter.com/HH4oh8sYdD
His shot-stopping was on point, while his distribution stayed on the safe side, and mostly long, rather than picking that Pep Guardiola-inspired risky short option that has led to so many unnecessary goals being conceded.
The performance that had the Stretford End singing “Are you Schmeichel in disguise?” had been a long time coming, with Altay Bayindir keeping his place in the United goal following Lammens’ summer signing.
The Turkey international’s continued struggles – he possesses the worst save percentage in the Premier League this season – meant it was only a matter of time until change came.
Since he walked through the door, United officials have been mightily impressed with Lammens and feel thoroughly justified in opting for the inexperience of the young Belgian, his country’s fourth-choice goalkeeper at this stage, over the more expensive Emi Martinez from Aston Villa.
The i Paper has spoken to several sources within the club and are yet to hear a bad word uttered about the 23-year-old.
“He is first one into training and last one out,” one source says. “He does extra sessions all the time, too, whether that is working on his distribution or other things.
“It is hardly groundbreaking to come in and work this hard initially, but it certainly sets the tone. He means business.”
Maturity is a word that comes up in conversations. Ruben Amorim has, on many occasions, highlighted that a United goalkeeper needs thicker skin than most to be able to deal with the intense scrutiny only the man between the sticks at the biggest club in the world will be under.
When it is going well, it is great. Look at the social media reverence already, with Lammens painted as the second coming of Dino Zoff having made one routine save with his legs and caught a couple of high crosses – a normal keeper’s modus operandi.
When things turn sour – and it is when not if at modern-day United – those who have seen Lammens go about his early business in Manchester believe him to be better equipped than those who preceded him to handle the heat, with several insisting he seems to just be taking a chance of a lifetime, for a young man from a small town in Flanders, all in his stride.
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Nothing is being left to chance. The majority of new signings live in accommodation provided by the club in hotels or luxury city centre apartments and they are there for a long time, living essentially a catered life to ensure they can focus on settling into their new playing environment without other distractions.
Five weeks after arriving on our shores, Lammens has already sorted his own private housing, a sure sign he is planning for a long stay.
Co-owners Ineos stuck to their guns in going for younger, hungrier signings over expensive seasoned pros when opting for Lammens.
He was a gamble they felt worth taking. The start could not have gone much better. Let’s see if Manchester United can break another young hopeful’s resolve.
This one might just be a tougher nut to crack.
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