'I'm not Schmeichel in disguise - I am just Senne Lammens'

Manchester United caller boy Senne Lammens says he is not frightened of nan weight placed connected his shoulders successful taking connected 1 of nan astir scrutinised roles successful nan modern game.

Only recently, caput coach Ruben Amorim said astir nan 'massive' unit exerted connected immoderate United goalkeeper successful nan modern, integer age.

At 23, pinch conscionable 1 afloat play of elder shot down him, Lammens could beryllium forgiven for emotion nan power much than most, particularly arsenic United's level blocked Amorim's desire to bring successful World Cup-winner Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa connected transportation deadline day.

Yet, speaking exclusively to BBC Sport successful his first outer question and reply earlier United's Premier League travel to Nottingham Forest connected Saturday, Lammens did not springiness nan belief of personification affected by self-doubt.

"Of course, you perceive from different group location is simply a batch of unit coming present and playing for this team," said nan Belgian.

"But I invited that. Firstly, it is bully you tin play for specified a large team. There should beryllium a batch of unit - I'm not really frightened of it."

Such was nan deficiency of belief from nan Old Trafford fans successful Andre Onana, who has now joined Turkish nine Trabzonspor connected loan, and Altay Bayindir, who was successful extremity for nan first six Premier League games of nan season, Lammens was fixed a opinionated ovation nan first clip he caught nan shot during his debut against Sunderland connected 4 October.

A first United cleanable expanse of nan play was a invited return, triggering chants of 'Are you Schmeichel successful disguise?' successful reference to 1 of nan club's astir celebrated and highly regarded goalkeepers, Danish fable Peter Schmeichel.

Lammens didn't perceive nan opus astatine nan time. But he was delighted erstwhile he caught up pinch nan news, moreover if he accepts he is still a agelong measurement from deserving specified a link.

"I don't perceive to it excessively overmuch during nan crippled but I saw it afterwards," he said.

"I'm not Schmeichel successful disguise. I americium conscionable Senne Lammens trying to thief nan team.

"It is an astonishing compliment to get but you person to beryllium realistic. He is 1 of nan champion goalkeepers ever. I person to beryllium a batch much to beryllium successful nan aforesaid speech arsenic him."

It was noted successful nan Sunderland crippled - and moreover much truthful successful nan triumph astatine Liverpool 2 weeks later - that United were utilizing longer balls much often.

Lammens said aft nan Anfield occurrence nan determination was a coaching one, alternatively than his own.

However, it does fresh pinch his individual philosophy.

"There has been a batch of talk astir strategies but it is not astir that," he said. "It is astir nan measurement we play and nan intensity.

"It is besides astir being realistic and knowing, against Liverpool, it won't beryllium nan prettiest crippled successful position of build-up.

"It was much astir being nonstop and playing for nan 2nd balls. If we are precocious up nan pitch, pinch nan players we have, we tin ever make it difficult for nan opponent.

"It is besides not making it excessively difficult for ourselves. Building from nan backmost tin sometimes wounded you much than it helps.

"I person been trying not to return excessively galore risks and trusting nan qualities of nan guys up beforehand and successful midfield. Sometimes we request to get nan shot location arsenic accelerated arsenic possible."

Lammens feels nan nexus pinch his defence is cardinal to his occurrence since earning nan shirt, and Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt person made a constituent of underlining what they expect.

"They told maine I don't request to beryllium nan astir astonishing aliases typical goalkeeper, conscionable to beryllium location successful important moments to springiness nan squad trust," he said.

"It makes them much relaxed knowing personification is down them who tin thief them.

"One of nan cardinal points of a goalkeeper is helping nan defence pinch communication.

"I americium proud of being calm and collected. But erstwhile nan clip is needed, I tin beryllium harsh aliases outcry astatine team-mates. To person some characteristics is good."

Lammens became a goalkeeper partially because his older relative - a lifelong United instrumentality - wanted personification to prevention his shots, and partially because he wasn't that keen connected running.

His preamble to nan Premier League has not been faultless. On his debut he was fortunate to get distant pinch an ill-advised dash retired of his punishment area. At Liverpool, he sewage his positioning incorrect arsenic he went to declare a regular drawback and astir fumbled it, and he was questioned complete Danny Welbeck's free-kick extremity for Brighton past weekend.

But nan errors person not lessened nan enthusiasm for nan £18.1m deadline-day presence from Royal Antwerp among United fans, and specified person been nan positives astatine nan commencement of his United career, it makes you wonderment why he was connected nan chair for nan first 3 games pursuing his arrival.

Two of those matches, astatine Manchester City and Brentford, ended successful defeat, but nan subordinate himself thinks it was nan correct call.

"There was thing said earlier astir location being a strict plan," he said. "It was ever 'the champion goalkeeper will play'.

"But astatine nan start, I had a small spot of trouble successful training. The head saw that and gave maine a small spot of clip to adapt. The first crippled I played was nan cleanable opportunity for me. From location everything went well. I couldn't person imagined a amended start."

Lammens knows location is simply a batch of activity ahead, conscionable to deed nan first target of European qualification.

But he has fto his mind rotation to what he would for illustration to execute during his clip astatine Old Trafford.

"I want to person a agelong profession here," he says. "Then, possibly successful nan end, I tin beryllium successful nan speech pinch group for illustration Schmeichel and [Edwin] Van der Sar and [David] de Gea. That would beryllium really nice."