According to Hart, Bayindir had anticipated the trajectory of Declan Rice's corner kick from the left side. However, due to interference from center-back William Saliba, the Turkish goalkeeper couldn't create enough space to punch the ball clear.
"In that situation, I would want a teammate positioned behind Saliba, so I could use him as a shield," Hart analyzed on Match of the Day 2. "However, Mount stood in front, allowing Saliba to gain an advantage and disrupt Bayindir's momentum. As a result, the 27-year-old goalkeeper could only awkwardly reach the ball with his left hand."
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Mason Mount (circled in red) positioned incorrectly, allowing Saliba to impede Bayindir during Man Utd's loss to Arsenal at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK, in the first round of the Premier League on 17/8/2025. Image: Screenshot |
Hart explained that in similar scenarios, he prefers a defender positioned between the goalkeeper and the opponent. This allows the goalkeeper to push off the defender, generating momentum for a powerful punch. But Mount's positioning left Bayindir vulnerable to Saliba's direct challenge. The goalkeeper's weak left-handed touch resulted in an easy header for defender Riccardo Calafiori in the 13th minute, which proved to be the only goal of the match.
Hart has 22 years of professional goalkeeping experience, including 15 seasons in the Premier League, mainly with Man City. Not only the 38-year-old former goalkeeper, but also legendary player Roy Keane criticized Mount for being too passive against Saliba.
On a separate program, former striker Wayne Rooney suggested Bayindir's error highlights a bigger issue in Man Utd's goalkeeping department. "It's crazy if Man Utd continues the season without signing a top-class goalkeeper," Rooney stated on his own program, the Wayne Rooney Show. "This situation reminds me of when Man Utd relied on Roy Carroll and Tim Howard, leading to a lack of confidence in the defense."
Rooney recalled how Edwin van der Sar's arrival at Old Trafford in the summer of 2005 brought calmness and confidence to the backline. Rooney urged his former club to pursue Gianluigi Donnarumma from PSG, considering him the ideal choice. "Donnarumma is only 26, but he's already one of the best goalkeepers in the world, and he didn't make any direct errors leading to goals last season," Rooney said. "Man Utd must try their hardest to get Donnarumma."
On Sky Sports, former defender Gary Neville placed the blame squarely on Bayindir. "He can claim he was obstructed by Saliba, but in reality, he should have been stronger," Neville commented during the live broadcast of the match. "Saliba did nothing wrong. The ball went past Bayindir, and Calafiori was just waiting to score."
Hoang An (via Daily Mail)
