Manchester United’s new goalkeeper, Senne Lamence, has a bizarre pre-match superstition that forbids him from mentioning clean sheets before kick-off. The Belgian shot-stopper believes discussing shutouts before games will jinx performances.
United signed Lamence from Royal Antwerp in the summer transfer window and the youngster was snapped up despite being linked with Aston Villa number one Emi Martinez. Red Devils fans witnessed the calming presence Lamence brings between the posts against Sunderland, drawing praise from former United centre-backs Rio Ferdinand and Phil Jones.
The goalkeeper kept a clean sheet on his debut under Ruben Amorim, but no one would have been brave enough to mention it beforehand, and a similar silence will apply ahead of Sunday’s showdown with Liverpool.
“According to him, it brings bad luck,” his brother Tom told the Daily Mail. “I didn’t send anything to Sene about the clean sheet before the game.”
Brian Vandenbusche, Lamence’s former goalkeeping coach in Antwerp, also highlighted the Belgians’ match-day rituals.
“I didn’t like it either…it’s a jinx,” he explained.
“I know it’s a superstition, but please don’t do it. Sene has a certain order of things to do before he warms up.”
“He always wanted me to get ready before going out. He did a fist pump with the other two goalies and me. That was important to him.”
“Also, before the game, he went back to the bench because he had to give me a drink bottle. He did that to give me the last two words of advice.”
