The blockbuster opening weekend clash between Manchester United and Arsenal ended in a narrow 1-0 victory for the Gunners, but the story of the match was far more complex than the final scoreline suggests. Here are three of the biggest takeaways from the battle at Old Trafford.
1. Arsenal Must Improve… Fast Despite securing a crucial three points and a clean sheet away from home, Arsenal’s overall performance was largely unconvincing and will be a source of concern for Mikel Arteta. For large periods of the match, Manchester United looked like the more well-drilled and dangerous team, controlling possession and creating more chances. Arsenal’s blockbuster new striker, Viktor Gyökeres, failed to register a single shot on his debut, highlighting the team’s struggles to create clear-cut opportunities for him. With a notoriously difficult run of fixtures to start their season, the Gunners will need to find their rhythm and cohesion quickly if they are to mount a serious title challenge.
2. Man United Must Decide Their Transfer Priority In stark contrast, United’s performance was full of positives and signs of progress under Ruben Amorim, but the result highlighted that the squad is still incomplete. The costly goalkeeping error from Altay Bayındır that led to the only goal of the game once again put the spotlight on a contentious position. While the new-look attack was lively, the midfield still lacked the solidity needed to control the game against elite opposition. The club’s hierarchy now faces a crucial decision in the final weeks of the window: do they prioritize a new, top-class goalkeeper, or a dominant central midfielder? The choice they make could define their season.
3. The Striker Race: Who Will Get Going First? The match saw the highly anticipated Premier League debuts of both Benjamin Šeško and Viktor Gyökeres, two strikers who were linked with both clubs this summer. Both struggled to make a significant impact on the game. Šeško looked the livelier of the two after coming on as a substitute but was well-marshalled by Arsenal’s elite centre-backs. Gyökeres, on the other hand, was isolated and starved of service. On the surface, Šeško appears to have the easier path to success, joining an attack that already looks dynamic and full of creativity. The battle to see which of these expensive new number nines finds their form first will be a fascinating subplot to the season.