Goalkeeping woes have been at the heart of another sluggish start to the season for the Red Devils. Bayindir has played all three Premier League games so far but was criticised for his part in goals scored by Arsenal and Burnley at Old Trafford.

Andre Onana started United's embarrassing League Cup exit to fourth-tier Grimsby but has since been shipped out on loan to Turkish club Trabzonspor.

Lammens, 23, joined from Royal Antwerp for a reported initial fee of £18 million ($24 million) on September 1. Amorim said the Belgian would compete to be his number one, but is wary of throwing him in at the deep end against City at the Etihad.

"We are really pleased. He's a goalkeeper with a lot of potential. We are in a moment where we have to look at the present, but also with a focus on the future. So it's a little bit of both," said Amorim on Lammens.

"Altay is going to continue because it's a different league, it's a different country, different training, different ball, so we'll try to maintain that (consistency of selection) and they will fight for the position."

Victory at the Etihad last season was one of Amorim's few Premier League success stories. Despite taking just four points from their opening three games, there have been small signs of improvement in United's Premier League performances, either side of the Grimsby debacle.

And Amorim believes his side are better than when they beat their cross-city rivals in December, a month after he took over.

"I think we are a better team. I think if you see any aspect, if you see the data, we are a different team," he said. "We are ready to play the game, but we have to show it on Sunday."

Matheus Cunha, Mason Mount and Diogo Dalot have been ruled out of Sunday's clash due to injury.

A. Bayindir

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