Arsenal opened their Premier League campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, thanks to Riccardo Calafiori’s early header.
The decisive moment came in the 13th minute when goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, standing in for the absent Andre Onana, failed to deal with a Declan Rice corner. Calafiori capitalised on the error, nodding the ball into the net to give the visitors the lead.
Despite the early setback, Manchester United’s attack looked lively throughout the encounter, with summer signings Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko all making their debuts. Cunha and Mbeumo in particular threatened David Raya’s goal on several occasions, but the Arsenal keeper stood firm with crucial saves.
United came closest when Patrick Dorgu’s thunderous effort rattled the post, while Mbeumo saw a powerful header clawed away by Raya in the second half. However, the Red Devils were unable to find the equaliser their pressure seemed to deserve.
Arsenal offered little in attack after their opener, recording no shots on target in the second half. But Mikel Arteta’s side showed defensive resilience, relying on Raya’s brilliance and a disciplined back line to secure all three points.
United captain Bruno Fernandes admitted his side must improve their finishing. “We created lots of chances and didn’t score, so we have to do better next time. That was the main negative of the day,” he told reporters after the game.
