Manchester United will not be able to call upon the services of Altay Bayindir for their FA Cup game against Leicester City on Friday after the Turk picked up a knock.
Also unavailable for the encounter will be third-choice keeper Tom Heaton, who remains sidelined due to injury. Ruben Amorim confirmed the same to MUTV.
“Altay, I think, he has a problem. So he is not available for the game. Tom is also not for this game but he can play the other ones [in the future]. So the rest are ready. The important thing is we are ready to face the game.”
The Turkish international was on fire in the previous stage of the competition, pulling off two penalty saves and a host of stunning stops to thwart Arsenal and ensure the Red Devils entered Round four.
Bayindir, Heaton out
Unlike Erik ten Hag, Amorim has not been afraid of placing his trust in the 26-year-old, handing him four starts in all competitions after only one start came under the former Dutch manager.
He also kept a clean sheet in his most recent start in the Europa League against FCSB. There have been murmurs that the Turkish star is looking for regular minutes and wants out with Galatasaray leading the chase.
🗣️ Ruben Amorim confirms injuries to keepers:
"Altay, I think, he has a problem. So he is not available for the game. Tom is also not for this game but he can play the other ones [in the future]. So the rest are ready. The important thing is we are ready to face the game." https://t.co/Zv5NxOCRsA
— UtdXclusive (@UtdXclusive) February 7, 2025
So far, cup games is where he has shone and given Andre Onana’s problems in goal, Bayindir will have hoped for a Premier League debut by now.
Heaton, back at his boyhood club for his second spell, has managed three appearances but none of them have come in this term. He had signed a one-year extension last summer and this could be his final campaign for United.
Onana start likely
This likely means Onana will start in goal against the Foxes. Mistakes have started creeping into the Cameroonian’s game with a few recent high-profile errors both in the Europa League as well as the Premier League.
For backup, Amorim has the promising Elyh Harrison, who the club decided to keep instead of loaning him out after an impressive six-month loan spell at Chester.
He was on the bench for the league game against Crystal Palace. There is also Hubert Graczyk, formerly of Arsenal, who has helped with the team’s warm-up before games recently in Heaton’s absence.
Dermot Mee has also trained with the first team and could make the matchday squad.
But the U21s are also in action at Leigh Sports Village against Tottenham Hotspur on Friday so that might dictate whom Amorim finally calls upon as backup.
Feature image Paul Ellis via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
