Arsenal started what they hope can be a Premier League title push with a 1-0 win away to Manchester United, but the scoreline did little to reflect an entertaining encounter at Old Trafford.
United tasted another home defeat, but the improvement in their performance from last season was massive as they out-performed Arsenal in just about every measurement except the one that mattered most.
That the game was ultimately decided by a gaffe from stand-in goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, who flapped at a corner and allowed Riccardo Calafiori to nod in, will be of immense frustration to United given everything else there was to encourage the Old Trafford faithful.
Intensity and purpose restored
Though it ended in defeat, this was United’s best performance in some time.
Intensity in the press gave them possession against a rattled Arsenal, while new boys Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo offered energy and verve going forward. There is now a plan besides passing to Bruno Fernandes and seeing what he can do.
The movement from the new pair caused huge problems for an Arsenal defence that rarely looked settled. Both players had several chances throughout the game and it took a fantastic save from David Raya in the 73rd minute to deny Mbeumo. The upgrade to United’s attacking play is obvious.
Arsenal labour to victory
Arsenal took the points, but this was not a sort of performance to back up claims that Mikel Arteta’s side are ready to take a step forward after a third consecutive second-place finish last season.
They struggled to assert any authority on the game, with midfield signing Martin Zubimendi doing little to make his presence felt in front of the defence. United had 61 per cent of possession, registering 22 shots at goal to Arsenal’s nine.
In the second half the Gunners were reduced to playing long balls as they could not get out of their own half, with United pressing for an equaliser until the death.
Last season Arsenal scored 17 Premier League goals from set-pieces, not counting penalties, the joint highest in the division. Fourteen of those came from corners and it was no surprise to see their first of the new campaign arrive from the same source, albeit with a massive helping hand from Bayindir.
Strikers fail to fire
On another day this match might have turned into a comparison between Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres and United’s Benjamin Sesko, the big-money strikers these clubs have splashed out on this summer.
The backstory was all there given Gyokeres’ history with Ruben Amorim at Sporting Lisbon and Arsenal’s long-standing interest in Sesko before they opted to go with their new Swedish star instead.
But we will have to wait for a head-to-head fight. Gyokeres was replaced by Kai Havertz after a largely ineffective hour in which he struggled to hold up the ball.
Five minutes later Sesko came off the bench to make his United debut, but he received little service and never got a sight at goal.
Stars of the match
Manchester United – Matheus Cunha – This could equally have gone to Mbeumo, but Cunha in particular looked inspired to make his mark on debut.
Arsenal – David Raya – Did brilliantly to keep out Mbeumo’s header as United laid siege to Arsenal’s goal late on.
