‘Hopeless and Pathetic!’ – Manchester United urged to sell Altay Bayindir after horror mistake gifts Arsenal early lead at Old Trafford

Manchester United’s goalkeeping crisis has gone from bad to worse after Altay Bayindir’s costly error helped Arsenal strike early in Sunday’s Premier League showdown at Old Trafford.

The Turkish shot-stopper, surprisingly chosen ahead of regular No.1 Andre Onana, was at fault inside the opening minutes as Riccardo Calafiori punished United from a set piece. And if fans had little patience left after last season’s errors between the posts, Bayindir’s mistake pushed many completely over the edge.

The moment that lit up Arsenal – and deflated Old Trafford

United had barely settled into the game when Arsenal won a corner. What followed was alarmingly familiar for home supporters.

William Saliba muscled Bayindir out of position, leaving the goalkeeper flapping helplessly at the delivery. The ball dropped kindly for Calafiori, who simply nodded into an empty net.

Instead of giving United’s new era under Ruben Amorim a platform to build on, the mistake immediately set the tone for another nervy afternoon at Old Trafford.

Fans erupt: “Worse than Onana!”

Manchester United supporters, already frustrated with last season’s defensive blunders, wasted no time venting their fury online.

“Bayindir somehow even worse than Onana,” wrote one fan on X. Another added: “I would sell Bayindir for a fistful of peanuts.”

A third supporter branded the goalkeeper “pathetic” after his failure to deal with the set piece.

The anger wasn’t limited to fans either. Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News posted: “Bayindir from a corner. Again. Hopeless. How he is starting ahead of Heaton, never mind Onana, is beyond me.”

Veteran journalist Henry Winter echoed the concerns: “Everyone has been saying it. Manchester United need a reliable, durable goalkeeper. Onana unconvincing. Bayindir even less convincing, gifts Calafiori chance. Spent all this money to strengthen the attack but overlooked a glaring weakness in goal.”

The £210m rebuild undone by an old problem

United have invested heavily this summer, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo in a £210m spending spree designed to inject goals and energy into the squad.

But while the attack has been upgraded, the defence and goalkeeping department remain under intense scrutiny. United conceded a staggering 63 league goals last season – the highest among the traditional “big six.”

Andre Onana, who arrived from Inter Milan last year, endured a nightmare debut campaign filled with high-profile blunders. Now Bayindir, seen as his challenger, has hardly made a stronger case. Instead, his mistake has reopened debate about whether United urgently need another goalkeeper before the transfer window closes.

Arsenal exploit United’s Achilles heel

Bayindir’s error wasn’t just clumsy – it played straight into Arsenal’s strengths.

Since the start of last season, the Gunners have scored 31 goals from corners in the Premier League – by far the most in the division. Liverpool, the next best side, have managed just 11 in the same period.

So when Amorim handed Arsenal an early corner and Bayindir failed to command his area, the outcome felt almost inevitable. For a United side already fragile in confidence, it was the worst possible way to start.

Amorim’s gamble backfires

New boss Ruben Amorim raised eyebrows by picking Bayindir over Onana, particularly for such a high-profile clash. The Portuguese coach insisted in pre-season that he wanted “competition for places,” but this decision may already be under fire.

By trusting Bayindir, Amorim hoped to give his backup keeper a platform to prove himself. Instead, the mistake left United chasing the game early and gave Arsenal all the momentum.

It also raised a bigger question: does Amorim truly trust either of his goalkeepers?

With the transfer window still open, pressure is mounting on United to make a late move for a new goalkeeper. Fans and pundits alike are pointing to the position as the team’s most glaring weakness – one that could undermine all of Amorim’s rebuilding work.