Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hailed his side’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Manchester United in their Premier League opener, praising the resilience and character his players showed to win the game despite not being at their best.
“Big, big result coming in the first game of the season at Old Trafford,” a delighted Arteta said in his post-match press conference. “When you feel that they are building something special… and you are able to come away with the win, I’m very happy and proud of the team.”
The manager was candid in his assessment of the performance, admitting that his side was not at their usual high standard. However, he saw the ability to grind out a result as a major positive. “That gives you certainly momentum and confidence,” he explained. “Because you know that when you know your standards in certain aspects, which today we weren’t, being fair, we can still come away and find a way to win the game.”
When asked about the competitive debut of blockbuster new signing Viktor Gyökeres, Arteta was encouraging. “He did a lot of things very good,” he said, but acknowledged that the striker still needs time to adapt to the rhythm of the team’s high press. “But overall, coming away to Manchester United, winning your first game with Arsenal, it’s a good start.”
Arteta reserved special praise for the match-winner and fellow new signing, Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori. “He has the capacity to change the energy,” the manager beamed. “He has an aura, he has a presence that is special… He’s a player that is very unpredictable for the opponent.”
Finally, the manager confirmed that the absence of another new signing, Christian Nørgaard, was due to a “little issue” that the medical staff will address.
Arteta’s message was clear: while the performance needs to improve, the team’s ability to win ugly at a difficult ground like Old Trafford is a sign of their growing maturity and title-winning credentials.