Arsenal opened their Premier League campaign with a hard-fought victory at Old Trafford, but their performance raised questions about how quickly Mikel Arteta’s new-look side will settle this season.
While the Gunners left Manchester with all three points, Arteta admitted his team were far from their best, stressing that new arrivals still need time to adapt. He pointed to the importance of grinding out results even when not playing fluently – a quality that could prove decisive in their push for silverware.
Manchester United dominated large spells of the game with 61% possession and 22 shots, yet Arsenal’s resilience at the back, combined with Riccardo Calafiori’s winning goal, secured the narrow victory. Still, Arteta was visibly frustrated on the touchline as his team looked unusually open in the first half.
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Arsenal’s £64m striker Viktor Gyökeres endured a quiet debut, failing to register a shot – the first time since April 2023 he has gone without an effort in a league match. Arteta praised aspects of his play but admitted there is “work to do” on pressing and link-up movement. Analysts including Danny Murphy and Daniel Sturridge noted the adjustment required both for Gyökeres and his new teammates after last season’s very different approach with Kai Havertz up front.
Elsewhere, Calafiori’s attacking threat from left-back caused defensive gaps, while debutant Martin Zubimendi showed promise but appeared to need more time to form an effective partnership with Martin Ødegaard and Declan Rice.
Ultimately, Arsenal’s ability to hold firm under pressure and take their chance proved enough – a big win, but one that underlined the work still ahead for Arteta’s evolving side.
