Goalkeeper Senne Lammens was Manchester United’s best player in their 0-0 draw at Sunderland, the first time United had failed to score in interim manager Michael Carrick’s 15 games in charge.
The Belgian, 23, only made his United debut earlier in the season and has kept seven clean sheets in 30 Premier League appearances, including five under Carrick. He spoke to The National after Saturday's game.
Q: What’s your reaction at full-time? A very frustrating day against this Sunderland side …
A: Very frustrating is maybe a bit harsh. There are some things we need to improve on definitely, but also some good things to take away. Especially the clean sheet today and the way we fought as a team was a very good thing what we have to build on in the next weeks. With the ball, everyone saw that it wasn’t our best game. Before, the manager warned us that this place is very volatile and can be very challenging to play at, so you know you have to be on your best. So, we weren’t today, but you can also take some good things from it.
The Premier League is surprising in the sense Sunderland have just come up and can go toe to toe and offer so much quality.
Surprising … not really for me personally. I think even teams in the last places have good qualities. On any given day they can give you a lot of problems as we have seen in the past. So hats off to them. The first couple of games, they had a good run. They’re fighting for Europe, so it’s always a good thing. But you know every team has qualities, they have so many good players in this league that you can’t really take it easy for one week. So, it’s no surprise really, especially if you see here with the history of the club, with the fans behind them, it’s always difficult to play against them.
What good things did you take from today then?
Keeping the clean sheet, defending together. We didn’t really give away that many chances. I had a couple of saves, but it’s hard against a very attacking, very physical team. You know they’re going to create chances. It’s kind of like minimise those. We can improve a lot with the ball. That wasn’t our best, so we can’t be too happy with today, but it’s not all negative. Personally, for me as well, as a goalkeeper and as a defender, you take pride in keeping clean sheets.
There were five United changes from the last game, too.
It’s a lot of games during the season, players are coming in, going out. So a couple of new guys in the starting line-up, which is also very important for them in these big games to get the opportunity. It’s also a good thing for them to get the opportunity to get some rhythm because they will be needed at the end of the game, at the end of the season and for next season as well. They were good things.
Do you think, having secured Champions League last week, there was a bit of a natural drop-off from that high today?
I don’t really think so, personally. For me especially not. I think the manager, he warned us and he made the point that these last couple of games are very important for us again because we want to finish as high as possible, with as many points as possible, because we also know how you end the season is also the feeling you get for the new season. So we want to build on that. We want to keep the momentum going. If we had Sunderland away a couple of weeks ago and we didn’t have Champions League security, it probably would have been a tough game even then. So I don’t think that’s an excuse or that’s something that was playing on our minds. We wouldn’t say that.
Do you think the squad needs a few more bodies in the summer? Because Champions League football next season is going to be a lot more games. Just a bit more quality in the squad to help in those matches perhaps?
Yeah, of course, it’s a very hard league. Next year will be a hard programme, so you want to get us money or you want to have people in there who can come in when it’s needed. I think personally we have a lot of quality already in the squad this year, but of course next season is going to be a lot and you also need to include injuries and stuff. That can happen just like today, a couple of guys injured, a couple of guys who normally always play. So those guys who are playing in and helping us out as well are very important. We want to make a good and strong squad for next season, but also this season I think we have been able to do that as well.
Did Sunderland’s press early on surprise you because they were quite aggressive?
Yes. They’re a very, very physical team, putting on high pressure, so it’s not always easy to play out. I mean, they warned us – we watched the video and the clips from their games. We know what kind of team they are. We also had a game plan, which sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t, because the quality wasn’t always there. Some small mistakes here and there.
So, then you always know with their crowd behind them, it’s always going to be difficult if you’re not on your A-game. But yeah, they’re a very physical team and the way they play, they do it very well. Hats off to them as well.
You made your debut against Sunderland and now you’re coming to the end of your first season here. How would you sum up how it’s gone for you?
I think I can be proud of the season I’ve been having. I kind of had the perfect opportunity and the perfect time to come into the team and to grow with the team. I think I had a lot of things to learn and still have a lot of things to learn, but in this squad, with this opportunity, I also get the opportunity to show myself and to help the team out. So yeah, it’s been a very good season for me personally. As a team as well, we’ve been growing and now it’s the next step. Next season is going to be a big one, so everyone’s going to step up again. Because this season was OK, but it’s not our end goal, so we have to keep building on this and try to get better.
