Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim was impressed with the positives displayed by his side, but acknowledged the need for improvements after they began their 2025/26 season with a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal.
The Red Devils put up an improved display in their EPL opener against the Gunners, as they look to bounce back from a dismal 2024/25 season.
New signings Bryan Mbeumo and Mattheus Cunha looked sharp in attack and only brilliant goalkeeping from David Raya denied them from opening their account for the club.
“I’m really proud of the guys. They were really brave in everything they did during the game”, Amorim said after the defeat.
“Congratulations for the performance, but not congratulations [for the result] because we lost the game at home. We clearly deserved a different result and we need to move forward to the next one.
We were more aggressive than last year, we sprinted more, we were braver, we went one against one for the whole game and we pressed high.”
Mbeumo had an early opportunity but his weak shot was saved by Raya, before Arsenal took the lead in the 13th minute.
Altay Bayindir, who started for United in the absence of Andre Onana misjudged Declan Rice’s corner kick, allowing Riccardo Calafiori to head home the opener as the Gunners showed their set-piece prowess once again.
Patrick Dorgu struck the base of the post with a brilliant effort, before Raya denied Mbeumo and Cunha with brilliant stops.
The Red Devils improved in the second half, but were ultimately denied an equalizer by the Spanish goalkeeper, who put in a player of the match display to give his side the precious win.
“With the ball, we have quality, even when the stadium makes some sound, we continued to play the way we play. We lost fewer balls in the build-up compared to last year, when we struggled a lot.
Then the small things that we talk about in the beginning of this season when players like Cunha and Bryan can elevate the stadium in one moment. The most important thing – we weren’t boring”, Amorim continued.
“We need to win games but that was a completely different game to last season.”
Manchester United travel to London to face Fulham next Sunday, hoping to claim a first league win of the new campaign.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
