Life as a second-choice goalkeeper can be hard, especially when you play for one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Altay Bayindir was the subject of ridicule in December when he conceded direct from Son Heung-Min’s 88th-minute corner in Manchester United’s agonising 4-3 Carabao Cup quarter-final cup defeat by Tottenham.
But, just one month, and one appearance, later, his manager Ruben Amorim described him as “our hero” as the 26-year-old made the crucial contribution to his side’s FA Cup third-round win at Arsenal on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
“Your life as a footballer has cycles and moments,” admitted United boss Amorim.
“Sometimes in one week, your life can change and you can see [that with] Altay. Against Tottenham everyone was biting their fingers for Altay and I understand that – and today he was our hero.
It was Bayindir’s brilliant save in the corner to stop Martin Odegaard’s penalty in the 72nd minute that changed the momentum of the match. Arsenal would have led 2-1 at that point with an extra man advantage.
Inspired by that, United showed defensive defiance to take the tie into a penalty shootout, where Bayindir again stretched his 6ft 6in frame to keep out a low effort from Kai Havertz – the only spot-kick missed of the nine taken.
Those saves meant he was the first Premier League goalkeeper on record in the FA Cup (since the 2013-14 season) to save a penalty in both normal time and a penalty shootout in the same game.
