Riccardo Calafiori’s first-half header was enough for Arsenal to beat Man Utd 1-0 on the Premier League opening weekend
Riccardo Calafiori’s early header was enough for Arsenal to claim a narrow 1-0 victory over Manchester United in their Premier League curtain-raiser, despite Ruben Amorim’s men showing greater attacking intent throughout the contest.
United handed debuts to summer signings Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško, all of whom were included in the starting lineup for Super Sunday’s clash at Old Trafford.
The breakthrough, however, came in the 13th minute following a mistake from stand-in goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.
Covering for the unavailable Andre Onana, the Turkish shot-stopper failed to deal with Declan Rice’s corner, leaving Calafiori to nod home unchallenged.
At the other end, Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was called into action several times, producing vital saves to preserve the lead. Cunha and Mbeumo, brought in from Wolves and Brentford respectively, both tested him repeatedly.
Late in the first half, Raya pulled off a superb one-handed stop to push Mbeumo’s low drive around the post, while Cunha’s earlier attempts were also repelled.
The pressure began to mount after Patrick Dorgu unleashed a thunderous strike against the upright, with Raya beaten on that occasion but saved by the woodwork.
After the break, United kept pressing in search of an equaliser. Dorgu again threatened, his deflected cross finding Mbeumo, who forced Raya into a spectacular reflex save with his header.
Arsenal, meanwhile, struggled to create further opportunities, recording no shots on target in the second half and only four overall following Calafiori’s opener.
Their best efforts came earlier, a long-range strike from Martin Odegaard and a deflected free-kick by Rice.
Despite being second best for large spells, Mikel Arteta’s side held on for three crucial points to kick-start their campaign.
For Amorim’s United, the defeat was disappointing, but the energy and cohesion shown by their new-look attack provided plenty of reasons for optimism going forward.