Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal: Gunners endure for victory despite late on a sludge from New Look United Front Line

Arsenal was on against Manchester United’s barrier of attacks for a hard-fought 0-1 victory at Old Trafford on an important day for Ruben Amorim after his front line build. Two of his debutants, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, started the match while the third, Benjamin Šeško, came from the bench – but none of them could convert their many chances throughout the game.

Elsewhere, Arsenal’s Victor Gyökeres was handed over his debut after his move at £ 75 million from Sporting Lisbon, where he had netted a remarkable 97 goals in 102 performances.

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When it happened

Manchester United dominated the possession during the opening quarter in one hour. Bryan MBeumo, brought in from Brentford for £ 70 million after scoring 20 goals for Bees Last season saw the game’s first opening, released by Bruno Fernandes on the right wing after Cunha competed for a loose ball. The shot was tame and was routinely saved by David Raya.

Arsenal has been successful against United in recent years but looked vulnerable during the early stages and committed four fouls in a stop starting that opened 10 minutes. In spite of a positive start from Red devilsPremier League’s specialists in the set took the lead after 13 minutes.

With each white shirt that stood up on the edge of the box, Arsenal captured the home team’s zonal marking. Standing in for Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir Palm managed to remove the goal-bound delivery from Bukayo Saka, just because the ball would fall inviting for Riccardo Calafiori who nodded in Arsenal’s 31st goal from a set piece since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

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United Wing-back Patrick Dorgu put in a strong performance on the defensive and won most duels in any player (11) while impressed in the future and almost pulled his side level after half an hour. Bruno Fernandes nipped in with an important interception halfway before finding the Danish in space. He drove on Ben White with purpose and hit his low driving from 25 meters the right post and spun behind.

The skipper Fernandes was in the middle of several counter -attacks and found Mason Mount in a pocket pocket to the left of the goal in 38 minutes. He moved it to debutant Cunha who spun away from Declan Rice and from a narrow angle forced Raya to a smart rescue with a low run that seemed intended for the bottom to the right. This was one of three times he denied Cunha a debut goal.

United would, of course, have felt hard done at half-time-after creating more chances from open play, they still hit a clinical set piece routine. When he spoke to Sky Sports during the break, Martin Ødegaard admitted that the game was “Too hectic sometimes … (and) without the ball (we) must be a little more compact.”

It was actually a way that the traffic for the majority of the other 45. The visiting supporters would be made to wait for the hour brand for their first chance, fired well by Declan Rice from the edge of the box – but United had found their feet.

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Matthijs de Ligt won the ball while he was a high line before Cunha drove forward through the middle. An tireless Dorgu found possession to the left before picking out MBeumo that rises highest in the box, just for his heading to be suspended by an excellent rescue from Raya, dive to the left. His impressive two rescues each side of half time turned out to be match -winning.

It was also a hectic day for center backs Saliba and Gabriel, the foundation for last season’s most meaningful defense, rejecting shots after shots while Gyökores and the second half replace Noni Madueke and Šeško, were relatively quiet on their debuts. All with late introductions to their clubs, cohesion with their more established teammates had not really developed.

A great chance fell Saka’s road in extra time when he was nicely played through by Ødegaard from the right, even though the Englishman wasted the shot flashed high and wide. He was involved again at the last minute and whipped a powerful cross against Madueke who could not adjust his body in time to steer the ball home from 6 meters.

Arsenal kept on against Manchester United for the victory and maintained his impressive record against Red devils. Manchester United was much improved from the page that ended with the club’s lowest Premier League score ever (42) and was more dangerous than Arsenal in the whole, but must find a clinical advantage over the target in their bid to return to the European stage.

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