It was a tense, tactical battle at Old Trafford as Arsenal edged Manchester United 1-0 on the opening weekend of the 2025-26 Premier League season. The Gunners, under the watchful eye of manager Mikel Arteta, secured a hard-fought victory thanks to an early goal from Riccardo Calafiori, while England coach Thomas Tuchel looked on from the stands, scrutinizing every move from the Three Lions’ hopefuls.
The match’s only goal arrived in the 13th minute, born from a set-piece that left the home crowd stunned. Declan Rice whipped in an inswinging corner, and United’s goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, under pressure, failed to clear his lines. Calafiori, Arsenal’s new defensive recruit, pounced to head home, sending the away fans into raptures. This was Calafiori’s first Premier League goal for Arsenal, and what a way to announce himself on the English stage!
Manchester United, led by new boss Ruben Amorim, didn’t lack for effort. They registered 22 shots, the most they’ve managed against Arsenal in the league since their famous 8-2 win back in August 2011. Despite the barrage, Arsenal’s David Raya stood tall, producing a series of impressive saves to keep United at bay. The Gunners’ defense, marshaled by William Saliba and Calafiori, withstood wave after wave of United pressure.
After the match, Amorim voiced his frustration about the manner of the defeat, particularly the controversial goal. “For me, (Saliba) is not playing the ball. I understand we want goals but when you touch the goalkeeper in that way, I think it’s harsh to lose a game like this,” he told Sky Sports. “It’s hard to be stronger when you have to push for the ball. But we need to be stronger in that moment, we need to do the same thing at the opposite end. We have to adapt to the rules. Today it’s hard to accept because I think we were the better team.”
Despite the result, Amorim remained proud of his players’ efforts: “I’m really proud of the guys. They were really brave in everything they did. Congratulations for the performance (but) we lost the game at home. We clearly deserved a different result. We need to move forward to the next one. We were more aggressive than last year. We sprinted more, were more brave, won 1v1s the whole game, and with the ball we had quality.”
United’s new attacking signings, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, made their Premier League debuts and showed flashes of promise, but couldn’t find a way past Raya. Club captain Bruno Fernandes praised the newcomers, saying, “They created a lot, they were in the right positions. When Cunha played as a No 10 he was much more dangerous. They have threat and can help us a lot on the counters, cutting inside and having shots. It was a good first impression for them but I’m pretty sure they will do much better. We have a big hope for this season for what we want to do. Losing the game is difficult. Defending set pieces and scoring goals are things we need to look at. There were more signs of hope.”
Fernandes also reflected candidly on the team’s shortcomings: “We did a lot of good things but it wasn’t enough. (After scoring) Arsenal didn’t create any good chances, we were defending very well. We created many good chances without scoring so that’s a point we have to look at and make it better next time. In the first half the game was very divided, in the second Arsenal were defending the result. We controlled the game well, were very good on the ball. The main negative of the game is that we didn’t score. Corners are part of the game, we know they are very good from set pieces. I haven’t seen the goal again... but Altay (Bayindir) was saying at the moment he went to punch the ball, he got a touch (from William Saliba).”
For Arsenal, the win marked a continuation of their remarkable record at Old Trafford. This was the sixth time they’ve beaten Manchester United away in the Premier League by a 1-0 scoreline—the most by any team against a single opponent. The famous “1-0 to the Arsenal” chant echoed from the away end as the final whistle blew, a testament to the Gunners’ defensive resolve and knack for grinding out results in tough environments.
Arsenal’s performance wasn’t without its blemishes. The team committed 19 fouls, a figure only surpassed twice in Mikel Arteta’s 212 Premier League matches at the helm. Arteta, however, was keen to focus on the positives, especially the contributions of his new signings Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi. “Very happy with them. The ones that didn’t start had a massive impact on the game as well. We need to glide them together, some of them are not at their highest level physically, but we’ll get there,” Arteta told reporters after the match.
Gyokeres, making his Arsenal debut, didn’t register a shot or create a chance—a rare occurrence for the Swede, who hadn’t gone a league game without an attempt since April 2023. Still, Arteta remained optimistic: “To come and get the first victory at Old Trafford with that atmosphere and the way they are building momentum with the new signings is top. It’s a great feeling. Then we have to be really humble about the way we did it. We won because we put a magnificent set piece in, but it was very far from the standards that we normally have. We constantly reacted to that in a really positive way and that’s why we had the opportunity to win the game.”
Among Arsenal’s young stars, 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri drew attention from both England coach Thomas Tuchel and Nigeria’s Football Federation. Nwaneri, who recently signed a long-term contract with the Gunners, missed a key chance to impress on this big stage. Despite the disappointment, his pace, vision, and composure still mark him as one of Arsenal’s brightest prospects. Nigeria’s Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle is monitoring Nwaneri closely ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, as the London-born midfielder remains eligible for both England and Nigeria.
Captain Martin Odegaard delivered a captain’s performance, steadying the midfield and leading by example. After facing criticism last season, Odegaard has retained the faith of his manager and teammates, and his display at Old Trafford suggested he’s determined to silence any doubters. Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka had a rare quiet outing, stifled by United’s defense, but his quality remains undoubted as the season unfolds.
Looking ahead, both teams have little time to dwell on the result. Manchester United will travel to Fulham next Sunday, seeking to bounce back, while Arsenal return home to face newly promoted Leeds United at The Emirates on Saturday. With the Premier League season just getting underway, both clubs will be eager to build on their opening performances—one with the wind in their sails, the other hungry for redemption.
As the dust settles at Old Trafford, Arsenal’s early statement of intent sets the tone for what promises to be a thrilling Premier League campaign. The Gunners may not have dazzled, but they did enough to claim three vital points and remind everyone that in football, sometimes grit trumps glamour—especially when the season is just beginning.
