Manchester United fell to defeat against Arsenal on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, although the performance from Rúben Amorim’s men was positive.
Rúben Amorim handed new signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo debuts from the start as Manchester United welcomed Arsenal to Old Trafford as part of the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
The tie started with Mbeumo causing problems down the right, although it was Arsenal who struck first, with Riccardo Calafiori nodding in Declan Rice’s delivery from a corner.
But, United continued to hunt for an equaliser, with Cunha and Mbeumo both having chances denied by David Raya, although the tie remained in Arsenal’s favour after 45 minutes.
In the second half, Amorim made a change by replacing Diogo Dalot with Amad after 55 minutes, with new striker Benjamin Šeško joining the field with 30 minutes to play alongside Manuel Ugarte to change the tempo.
However, despite United throwing the kitchen sink at Arsenal and Cunha being fouled in the box by William Saliba, Arteta’s men were able to hold out for a victory away from home.
#1 – United looked more organised
Last season, Amorim was adamant that many of the structural issues United had faced were down to a lack of training time on the pitch.
Although there were times in pre-season where United still looked a little awry, the first half against Arsenal showed a starting XI that looked structured, organised, and confident in knowing where their teammates would be.
Once Šeško was on the field, the side then had a central target to hit, and the club were unlucky not to score.
#2 – United’s forwards stepping up the tempo
So often, in the last campaign, it looked as if Amorim’s front line were all playing at their own speeds, with miscommunication rife between Rasmus Højlund, Alejandro Garnacho, and others.
However, from the off, against Arsenal, it felt like each of Mbeumo, Cunha, and Mason Mount were much more on the same wavelength. All three are brilliant footballers, and the trio were able to interchange almost seamlessly across the front line.
Once United introduced Šeško, this continued, with the Slovenian a clear nuisance in defence, and his connection with the Reds will grow with time.
#3 – This team looks tailor-made for Šeško
On many occasions in the first half, it felt as if the Reds were underloading the box when crossing opportunities arose for Amorim’s best creators, namely Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu, Mbeumo, and Fernandes.
Although Cunha did a fine job playing through the middle, Šeško’s arrival on the field with his 6’5″ frame changed United’s dynamic for the better.
In the second half, United resorted to a more route-one approach, but the overall play saw United create numerous chances from both out wide and in behind, which is the perfect complement for Šeško’s speed and aerial presence.
#4 – United’s midfield looked more compact
It has been a talking point for much of Amorim’s tenure at United that the midfield has looked far too open, with Fernandes becoming so involved in the front three and leaving the defensive midfielder with far too much space to cover.
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However, against Arsenal, with Fernandes allowed to stay deeper due to the increased trust in the front three to pose a greater threat without the captain having to be so involved, meant they had less ground to cover.
Casemiro was surprisingly positive during his 60 minutes, putting in some good tackles and generally playing the ball forward, with Ugarte the same. Although United will be signing a midfielder, the structural issue seemed less of an issue against Arsenal.
#5 – United have plenty of positives to take
Despite the loss on the opening day, there are so many positives Amorim and United’s fans can take from the performance.
As mentioned above, the team looked structured and understanding of each other, and the midfield appeared much more compact.
Additionally, the performances of Cunha, Mbeumo, Dorgu, and Leny Yoro are particularly encouraging, indicating promising signs for the upcoming season.
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