Ruben Amorim's goalkeeping gamble backfired as Riccardo Calafiori's first-half header gave Arsenal victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford
In their £200m summer rebuild I'm, United opted against bringing in a new keeper.
With first choice Andre Onana not playing a game in a pre-season because of a hamstring injury he suffered at the start of last month, Amorim selected Turkey international Altay Bayindir ahead of veteran Tom Heaton for his side's opening Premier League game.
Fulham’s shaky defense, conceding eight in four, offers hope, but their knack for upsetting big sides at home spells danger for the Blues. Chelsea unleashed 34 shots against Ipswich, and must sharpen their attacking edge to outgun a Fulham side six points adrift but still dreaming of Europe.
A win could propel Chelsea closer to Manchester City’s fifth-placed perch and
But Bayindir allowed himself to get trapped on his line as Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice curled a dangerous 13th-minute corner underneath the crossbar. Bayindir could only get a weak hand to the ball and ended up pushing it on to Calafiori, who turned home what turned out to be the winner from less than a yard.
The result was harsh on the home side, who were much improved on last season and carried by far the greater threat in the game, accumulating more possession and having significantly more shots and efforts on target.
However, Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made a series of excellent saves to keep the home side out, turning away three shots from one United debutant Matheus Cunha and scrambling to his left in the second half to keep out a goalbound effort from another, Bryan Mbeumo.
Bayindir ended up in a position from which he could have no influence. And Amorim, and Onana, who was at Old Trafford for the game, would only watch in despair.
In the brutal world of professional sport, results mask everything. Amorim has now lost 15 times in 28 Premier League games as United manager - that is the fastest a manager has reached 15 defeats in the competition, promoted clubs aside, since Paul Hart with Portsmouth in 2009.
Omar Marmoush had a first-half penalty saved by Henderson as City lost in the Cup final for a second successive season, summing up a harrowing campaign in which they have been dethroned as the powerhouse of English football and will go without a domestic trophy for the first time since 2016-17.
Rice went close for the visitors with a late free-kick but Arsenal were still able to complete their fifth victory in six league games over United.
But for now, from Kevin Hand and Patrick Keddie, goodbye!
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Manchester United take centre stage on Thursday as they look to complete their passage to the final of the Europa League.
It is easy to imagine United goalkeeping great Peter Schmeichel just barging William Saliba out of the way once Rice's pinpoint corner was heading under the crossbar. Edwin van der Sar was far too cute to be caught out so easily.
Arsenal got their Premier League title tilt off to a winning start as they earned a narrow victory over Ruben Amorim's new-look Manchester United team at Old Trafford.
Sunday's match may have been Arsenal's first of the new season, but Mikel Arteta's team picked up where they left off in 2024-25 as a set-piece goal settled the result in their favour
It arrived in the 13th minute when flapped at a DECLAN RICE corner, giving RICARDO CALAFIORI the chance to nod in from point-blank range at the back post.
While United huffed and puffed, with their expensively-assembled forward line looking a threat at times, they could find no way past Arsenal's famously miserly defence.
Old Trafford rocked as Mikel Arteta's runners-up headed to the rebuilding Red Devils in the most eye-catching fixture of the opening weekend.B
ut Bayindir's error underlined concerns over the goalkeeping position at Old Trafford, where often unconvincing number one André Onana was absent as he works his way back from a hamstring injury.
United are a work in progress but summer signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo looked sharp on their debuts, with Patrick Dorgu hitting a post with a lasered first-half effort.
Arsenal keeper David Raya produced a string of important stops to keep the hosts at bay, with his display helping Arteta's side to victory.
The atmosphere was as intense as United's start as they flew out the blocks in the summer sun, with Mbeumo getting an early attempt on goal as the hosts bossed play and the early possession.
But Arsenal would take the sting out of proceedings with just 13 minutes on the clock. Bayindir flapped at Rice's inswinging corner under pressure from Saliba, with the Turkey international meekly palming on for Calafiori to head over the line.
United's appeals for a foul fell on deaf ears as Arsenal scored their 31st Premier League goal from a corner since the start of the 2023-24 campaign -- 11 more than any other team.
That moment seemed to lead to some of the nervousness within the ground that Amorim referenced ahead of the game, but his side's refreshed approach and personnel helped lift the mood.
Mbeumo saw a shot deflect wide before Dorgu followed a burst down the left with a fierce shot that hit the outside of the far post.
Cunha looked like United's biggest threat and showed tenacity and confidence in the 32nd minute when his rampaging run from his own half led him to burst through Arsenal bodies and get a shot on Raya's goal.
The goalkeeper comfortably dealt with that attempt and another from distance, but he had to be at his best to get a fingertip on the Brazil international's low drive from an acute angle as half-time approached.
Newcastle fans, are very happy. And learnt one thing, teams build up from the very low. It takes determination, courage, discipline, perseverance and teamwork to make it... Its not about a single player or two, but the whole team. Now its the time for you to rebuild Instead of focusing on keeping the club going and waiting for the next transfer window to make good recruitments in defense and the best on the pitch, you spend your time muzzling a modern goalkeeper.
Arsenal were solid but unspectacular when the second half got under way, with Arteta replacing ineffective debutant VICTOR GEYOKERES on the hour mark.
The Sweden international had shone under Amorim at Sporting CP and had previously been linked with a move to United, whose fans cheered his substitution.
United's new frontman Benjamin Sesko was introduced to a huge roar shortly after, offering a first look at their rebuilt front three.
The excitement before the match for Arsenal supporters was that they were going to see their new £64m signing Viktor Gyokeres in action in a Premier League match.
The Gunners have come into this season with a new direct style that they are hoping will get the best out of the Sweden striker, and be the difference in them lifting a trophy during this campaign.
Gyokeres' main attributes are using his power and strength to burst through the centre-backs and boss Mikel Arteta is trying to increase the amount of chances he gets.
However, Gyokeres is lacking in match sharpness and has only been back in full training since signing for Arsenal - after he did not attend Sporting's pre-season while he looked to force through a move.
There were occasions when the 27-year-old was played into promising positions, but it looks as though it will take time for the players to get used to their new system and for him to build up the fitness he needs to become a key part of the Arsenal attack.
t was not the debut Gyokeres would have dreamed about, and the forward was jeered off by the United supporters when he was replaced by Kai Havertz in the 60th minute.
The usually reliable Arsenal defence did not settle and had some shaky moments during the match - Manchester United able to create chances with direct passes behind the visitors' defence.
Calafiori is important to the Arsenal attack due to his unpredictability on the ball but his runs into midfield and further up the pitch left Mbeumo in space and that also caused problems for the Arsenal backline.
Mikel Arteta were solid but unspectacular when the second half got under way, with Arteta replacing
Calafiori is important to the Arsenal attack due to his unpredictability on the ball but his runs into midfield and further up the pitch left Mbeumo in space and that also caused problems for the Arsenal backline.Calafiori is important to the Arsenal attack due to his unpredictability on the ball but his runs into midfield and further up the pitch left Mbeumo in space and that also caused problems for the Arsenal backline.
The usually reliable Arsenal defence did not settle and had some shaky moments during the match - Manchester United able to create chances with direct passes behind the visitors' defence.
ineffective debutant VICTOR GEYOKERES on the hour mark.
Arteta will be pleased to get off to a winning start but there is a lot for the manager to work on before their next game.