Manchester United were extremely unlucky to leave Old Trafford with nothing to show for their efforts in their Premier League opener against Arsenal on Sunday.
It was the Gunners who walked away with all three points thanks to a 0-1 win, courtesy of a goalkeeping howler from Altay Bayindir.
The Red Devils completely dominated Mikel Arteta’s side, and it was clear from the display that Ruben Amorim could do with a new No.1.
Andre Onana was not part of the matchday squad due to fitness issues, but he has been a huge liability since his move from Inter Milan.
Goalkeeping woes The Turkiye international has fared little better, which explains the club’s interest in the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Emiliano Martinez, and Senne Lammens.
Whether INEOS can land any of the aforementioned names remains to be seen, but Amorim could find his long-term No.1 from within the club itself.
Radek Vitek was hugely impressive last pre-season, and enjoyed a fantastic loan spell with Blau-Weiss Linz in Austria as the club finished sixth in the league.
And despite the obvious dearth in quality between the sticks, the 20-time English league champions opted to send him out on loan yet again, this time to Championship side Bristol City.
But not before the 21-year-old signed a new three-year deal. This is his his third loan spell away from Old Trafford. He seems to be on a mission with the form he has exhibited at Ashton Gate Stadium.
Vitek’s ultimate dream His performance against Charlton Athletic drew praise from all quarters, and now, as per Bristol Live, he has made it clear that his ultimate aim is to become the No.1 at the Theatre of Dreams.
Doing well in the second-tier of English football is the perfect recipe to catch Amorim’s eye. Former Carrington graduate Dean Henderson made his United debut after impressing in the Championship.
“My plan is to be, one day,the number one at Manchester United. I dont know how long thats going to take for me or if I ever will be number one, but Im going to do my best to improve my abilities here, and well see the next step after the season or half.
“Its a good step forward from last season. The Austrian Bundesliga is a really good league, but I think the Championship is another step forward. It is a really competitive league, and as you see, every team can beat everybody.
“Its a good challenge, as you saw today, it was really physical. Charlton, they play man-to-man, so there were a lot of long balls and running behind, so its tough for everyone on the pitch. But I think Im ready for the challenge, and so far Im enjoying it.”
Chelsea legend helping him get there The Czechia U20 international also revealed that former Chelsea legend Petr Cech is helping him rise to the challenge.
“My hero growing up was definitely Petr Cech as he was the best Czech keeper and probably one of the best in the world,” he was quoted as saying by The Sun.
“I looked up to him ever since I ended up in goal for my village team when I was five or six years old as I was so tall. I have been lucky to have met Petr a few times since, as we have the same agents and hes been great with me.
“We had a few conversations which Im glad about, hes given me a few tips. Hes even showed me videos of what to look out for and that shows hes an amazing person.”
Hopefully, Radek Vitek can keep impressing, and who knows? His time to make his United debut could be coming sooner than he thinks.
Feature image Ed Sykes via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
