Riccardo Calafiori scored the only goal as Arsenal claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win over Manchester United in their Premier League opener at Old Trafford.
Arsenal’s excellence from set-pieces continued as they scored from their very first corner of the campaign 13 minutes into Sunday’s game.
Declan Rice put his in-swinging delivery right on top of Altay Bayindir – who was selected despite Andre Onana recovering from a hamstring injury – and the United’s goalkeeper’s weak punch allowed Calafiori to nod home from beneath the crossbar.
That was Arsenal’s only clear chance of the game as United debutants Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo took the fight to Mikel Arteta’s visitors, but they could not find a leveller.
David Raya got down brilliantly to turn an angled, left-footed drive from Cunha to safety, shortly after Patrick Dorgu struck the base of the post from the left corner of the area.
Arsenal spent much of the second half defending, attempting just four shots to United’s eight as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard remained peripheral figures.
United’s best chance to equalise came from a floated Dorgu cross in the 74th minute, but Raya scrambled across his line to repel Mbeumo’s downward header.
William Saliba’s last-ditch challenge on Cunha helped Arsenal navigate a tense finale, as they joined potential title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City in winning their first game.
And despite showing some signs of improvement, Ruben Amorim’s side sit where they finished 2024/25 – 15th in the Premier League.
