On-loan Manchester United goalkeeper Radek Vitek pulled off a ‘ridiculous’ save in Bristol City’s 4-2 victory over Hull City on Saturday.
The Red Devils are in desperate need of a shot-stopper amid the struggles of both Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana this season.
The former, who was No 2 last season, has been promoted to United’s No 1 by Ruben Amorim this term – but he’s failed to live up to expectations.
He was at fault for Arsenal’s winner on the opening day of the season, looked shaky at Craven Cottage last weekend and, today, failed to command his box as Burnley equalised at Old Trafford.
Meanwhile Onana, who looks all but finished under Amorim, had arguably his worst performance in a United shirt on Wednesday in the disaster at Grimsby. The former Inter Milan ‘keeper failed to keep out the host’s first goal at his near post before flapping under a cross for the second, and only managed to pull off a solitary save in the penalty shootout.
The duo’s struggles have left United chiefs desperately scrambling to find a replacement before Monday’s deadline – but it seems they may already have a successor in their ranks.
On-loan Manchester United keeper Radek Vitek pulled off a stunning save on Saturday
The young shot-stopper, just 22, joined United in 2020 before being sent out on a series of loans
Radek Vitek, 22, joined the Red Devils in 2020 from Czech club Sigma Olomouc as a youth player but has failed to establish himself in any of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag or Ruben Amorim’s plans.
He’s enjoyed loan spells at Accrington Stanley, Blau-Weib Linz and Bristol City, who he joined earlier this summer and where he’s now proving himself to be an impressive shot-stopper.
Such was more than evident today, as the young Czech pulled off an extraordinary save at Ashton Gate as the Robins secured all three points against Hull City.
His moment came when the visitors’ right-back Cody Drameh swung a corner into the Bristol box from the right towards new recruit Oli McBurnie, whose header looked goal-bound.
But with the ball inches from crossing the line, the 22-year-old flung out a right arm and pulled off a stunning one-handed save, leaving McBurnie with his head in his hands.
‘It looked certain to go in,’ the commentator cried, ‘Manchester United could do with him at the moment.’
Yet Ruben Amorim, though it may not actually the case, has publicly made it clear that he’s happy with both Bayindir and Onana, who he says are not to blame for his side’s difficult start to the season.
After the last-minute 3-2 victory over Burnley at Old Trafford, the United manager said of the goalkeeping situation at the club: ‘They are humans. At Manchester United everything is the news.
Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana’s struggles this season have been plain to see
Ruben Amorim has however publicly defended his struggling goalkeepers
‘They are humans. At Manchester United everything is the news. Everybody talks about the goalkeeper and you can see even when I change the goalkeeper these situations happen. We are in that moment. It’s hard to be a Manchester United goalkeeper in this moment.
‘If you look at the goal, we can defend better the box. We suffered a similar goal against Fulham because we don’t do the full rotation of the team when the ball is on the other side.
‘These things don’t have anything to do with the goalkeeper. All these small things have nothing to do with the goalkeeper. Players are struggling a little bit with all the things that are happening around the club, that is normal. It’s not just the goalkeepers; everybody has to improve.’
The Red Devils are back in action in two weeks time as they travel across Manchester for the derby.
