Manchester United began their Premier League campaign with a narrow defeat to Arsenal at a sunny Old Trafford on Sunday evening.
Ruben Amorim’s men were bidding to make a fast start after a disastrous 2024-25 season. Still, they came up short as a goalkeeping error from Altay Bayindir ultimately made the difference on the day.
However, despite the negative result, the team’s collective performance suggests that the Red Devils are a team on the up.
The hosts produced a dominant showing against Mikel Arteta’s visitors, with a display full of energy, hunger and attacking intent.
A different look to this Manchester United side already
Without question, United looked more determined and much improved from last season. They were unlucky not to have breached the Londoners’ goal after a significantly higher number of shots and possession than their opponents.
David Raya made a string of fine saves to keep the home side at bay, turning away three efforts from debutant Matheus Cunha and scrambling across to parry a goalbound header from fellow new-boy Bryan Mbeumo.
Patrick Dorgu smacked a rasping drive off the post in the first half, too, as United pushed hard for what would have been a deserved equaliser.
The Old Trafford outfit huffed and puffed towards the end, but, alas, they could not find a goal to reward their efforts on a day that had a familiar ending to many of last season’s outings.
However, the performance felt different to previous defeats.
Yes, Ruben’s side lost, but they were the better team on the day and showed clear progression with a much more coherent display.
United narrowly won both of their previous two opening-day fixtures under former manager Erik ten Hag, against Wolves in 2023 and against Fulham in 2024. On both occasions, they were fortunate to come away with maximum points, as the manner of the victory was not overly reassuring.
The same cannot be said for Sunday’s defeat to would-be title challengers Arsenal. And, even though the result did not go in their favour this time around, United fans can rightly feel more positive than they did this time last year.
New additions add class and quality to Manchester United’s attack
There is a sense that the tools are now in place to build something new under the stewardship of a Portuguese tactician who enjoyed so much success in his homeland with Sporting.
Whilst key positions like goalkeeper and central midfield still need to be addressed, other areas of the team appear ready to blossom.
The new forward line was electric on their competitive debuts and showed exactly why the 20-time English champions spent big to acquire their services this summer.
Cunha ran Arsenal ragged with his powerful, direct forays through the heart of the visitors’ defence, whilst Mbeumo showed the touch and vision of a man who became one of the best forwards in the league at Brentford.
Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro dominated the much-talked-about striker Viktor Gyokeres, never giving the Swedish hotshot a sniff all afternoon in what was an impressive and organised rearguard action.
One noticeable feature from the first half was the lack of bodies in the box to attack the many chances created. Inevitably, this changed with the introduction of Benjamin Sesko, who put himself about as Arsenal retreated in a desperate attempt to retain their lead.
Sesko should, in theory, remedy the lack of a presence up front for Amorim, and, hopefully, once up to speed, can start getting among the goals alongside the other attacking talent within the XI.
We saw a glimpse of how the system works, and the presence of the new boys highlighted this, as the team looked physically stronger than last term and much more dynamic, too.
It wasn’t perfect, but it provided signs of progress
You always want results in football. However, in United’s case, it’s equally important to see signs of progress, especially early in the season, and the Reds’ display showed that.
Progress means players adapting to their manager’s system and becoming comfortable with their relationships on the field and the demands they have to meet.
Of course, the squad must put last season’s struggles firmly behind them and continue to play with the belief and confidence that we saw in abundance against Arsenal.
So, even though United lost, they played like a team that believed they could win and take the game to their opponents.
This is a big step in the right direction, and let’s hope we see Amorim’s men continue on this trajectory, starting with a visit to Fulham on Sunday.
How do you feel about Manchester United after this promising display? Let us know in the comments or across our social channels.
Photo by Mark Cosgrove/News Images via depositphotos.com
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