Bryan Mbeumo reveals the one United player he believes deserved the Man of the Match honor against Nottingham forest today
Bryan Mbeumo wasn’t interested in soaking up praise or posing for the cameras after the final whistle blew at the City Ground. The Manchester United forward, still catching his breath from a tense 90-minute battle, quietly stepped aside and made a point that turned heads.
“I gave the Man of the Match award to him,” he said firmly. “He’s the one who truly earned it. He saved us today.”
And no, he wasn’t referring to Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, or any of the scorers. The man in question was Senne Lammens — the goalkeeper who stood like a wall when United were teetering on the edge.
Nottingham Forest came out in the second half like a storm, relentless and hungry. They pressed high, swung in crosses, and sent shots flying, looking to exploit every weakness in United’s defence. The pressure was suffocating. Passes went astray. Composure cracked. The crowd could sense a collapse brewing.
But time and again, Lammens was there — calm, composed, and commanding. He blocked close-range efforts, plucked dangerous crosses out of the air, and barked orders that kept the backline from completely falling apart. When it felt like United were seconds from conceding, he turned the tide.
Mbeumo, who found the net himself, didn’t let the moment pass unnoticed. “We were too open, too careless,” he admitted. “But he kept us alive. Without him, we lose this game. He deserves that award more than anyone.” There was no ego, no sugarcoating — just plain truth.
In a club like Manchester United, where attacking stars often grab the spotlight and goalkeepers are remembered only for their mistakes, such humility stands out. But there was no escaping the fact that on this day, Senne Lammens was the heartbeat of the team.
This wasn’t a win built on dominance or tactical brilliance — it was a fight for survival. And the man who made that survival possible didn’t score or assist. He protected. He endured. He saved.
Senne Lammens — the quiet hero, the true Man of the Match.
