Senne Lammens reacts to Carlos Baleba’s Manchester United debut

According to a report by Manchester Evening News on Sunday October 11, 2026, Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens has praised Carlos Baleba following the midfielder’s debut for the club in their 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Baleba made his first appearance for United after joining from Brighton, with his debut delayed by an ankle injury he sustained before completing the move.

The midfielder was introduced in the second half by head coach Michael Carrick, who also brought on Diogo Dalot and Joshua Zirkzee in an attempt to improve his team’s performance.

The three substitutions came around the hour mark, with United struggling to break the deadlock against a Tottenham side that had made life difficult for the hosts.

Baleba received a standing ovation from the Old Trafford crowd as he entered the pitch, and his introduction helped United inject fresh energy into their performance.

United eventually took the lead through Bryan Mbeumo, but Dominic Solanke scored a late equaliser to deny the home side all three points.

Despite the disappointing result, Lammens identified the contributions of Baleba and the other substitutes as one of the positives from the encounter.

Speaking after the match, the Belgian goalkeeper explained that the fresh legs helped United improve their performance and gain greater control of the game.

“One of the good things about today was, of course, them coming in and helping us out a lot – everyone could see it,” Lammens said.

“We needed that extra spark a little bit in the end, that fresh legs. And I’m very happy for them as well that they could show themselves, but that’s what we’ve been seeing every day on training as well, so for us it’s nothing new.”

Lammens also stressed that Manchester United have a deep squad and will need contributions from several players throughout the campaign.

He believes the players coming off the bench can play important roles as the team navigates a demanding schedule involving domestic and European competitions.

“We know we have a very deep squad. So yeah, those people are going to have to step up as well this season, and I’m happy they were able to do that today,” he added.

Baleba’s debut will offer encouragement to Carrick as he looks to strengthen his midfield options and get the best out of his squad.

The midfielder’s arrival from Brighton had generated expectations among United supporters, making his first appearance an important moment following his recovery from injury.

However, United’s inability to protect their lead against Tottenham meant the team had to settle for a point despite their improved second-half performance.

Lammens also acknowledged that United needed to learn from their slow start, explaining that Tottenham’s pressing made it difficult for the hosts to play effectively during the first half.

The goalkeeper praised Carrick’s tactical adjustments at half-time but insisted that United must begin future matches with greater intensity.

Manchester United will now look to build on the positive aspects of the Tottenham encounter while addressing the mistakes that cost them two points.

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