New Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens has a peculiar pre-match superstition that forbids any mention of clean sheets before kick-off. The Belgian shot-stopper believes discussing shutouts ahead of games will jinx his performance.
United secured Lammens’ signature from Royal Antwerp during the summer transfer window, with the youngster getting the nod despite links to Aston Villa’s number one Emi Martinez. Red Devils fans witnessed the composed presence Lammens brings between the posts against Sunderland, earning plaudits from former United centre-backs Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones.
The goalkeeper managed a clean sheet on his debut under Ruben Amorim, though nobody would have dared mention it beforehand, and the same silence will apply ahead of Sunday’s showdown with Liverpool.
“According to him, that brings bad luck,” his older brother Tom told the Daily Mail. “I don’t send anything to Senne before the match about clean sheets.”
Brian Vandenbussche, Lammens’ former goalkeeping coach at Antwerp, also highlighted the Belgian’s matchday rituals.
“I didn’t like it either… You jinx it,” he explained.
“I know it’s superstition, but don’t do it. Senne has things he does in a specific order before his warm-up.
“He always wanted me to stand ready before he went out. He did a fist bump with the other two goalkeepers and with me, that was important to him.
“Also, before the game, he went back to the bench because he needed me to give the drink bottles to him. He did it for me to give him the last couple of words of advice.”
