Bukayo Saka’s second-half strike received Arsenal’s pre-season off to a profitable begin over AC Milan, which was extra snug than the 1-0 scoreline steered.
Saka turned house Jakub Kiwior’s inviting cross from shut vary to lastly beat Milan’s cussed defence, with each goalkeepers Pietro Terracciano and his alternative Lorenzo Torriani denying the Gunners on a lot of events.
Of their first pleasant of the 2025/26 season, Mikel Arteta named solely considered one of his new signings in his opening beginning line-up as Christian Norgaard partnered Declan Rice on the base of his midfield, with Ethan Nwaneri within the gap.
Whereas Norgaard was as tidy as anticipated it was the 18-year-old, given a uncommon run-out in a central function, who took the sport by the scruff of the neck.
Nwaneri and Arsenal had struggled to impose themselves within the opening levels however shortly after he skinned Strahinja Pavlovic out huge the teen settled. He nearly produced a spectacular opener when teeing himself up on the bounce, just for Terracciano to disclaim his highly effective effort with a powerful save.
Moments earlier than the break Arsenal have been denied a extra routine alternative, as Riccardo Calafiori noticed a goalbound header cleared off the road by Pavlovic because the Gunners offered their trademark issues from corners.
A flurry of half-time modifications introduced on Martin Zubimendi to associate Rice, with Martin Odegaard spearheading the midfield in what might properly show Arteta’s first-choice trio towards Manchester United on the Premier League opening weekend subsequent month, dwell on Sky Sports activities.
But it surely was a participant whose future seems to be away from the Emirates Stadium who made what would show the match-winner, as Kiwior’s inswinging cross proved a nightmare to defend towards and allowed Saka to steal a march and sidefoot house.
Torriani stored up what Terracciano had began by leaping to his left to maintain out a Mikel Merino header as Arsenal’s dominance continued, with Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard additionally going shut.
However maybe the icing on the cake was the arrival and efficiency from the bench of 15-year-old Max Dowman, one of many highest-rated academy gamers at London Colney of current instances.
His non-competitive debut nearly introduced a objective inside minutes as he fired huge following a mazy run, with Arteta proven lots to love in regards to the quick and long-term way forward for his Arsenal aspect forward of 2025/26.
Evaluation: Lots for Arteta to take from pre-season opener
Sky Sports activities’ Ron Walker:
“Mikel Arteta won’t have been surprised by what he saw from his Arsenal players in their first game back for the new season, but he will have been encouraged.
“Christian Norgaard was every little thing anticipated from the tenacious ball-winner, and Martin Zubimendi, the one different new face in an outfield function, confirmed his Spanish class when he got here on after the break.
“There were early signs that the midfield trio of Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard will click from the get-go as Arsenal enjoyed a dominant second period when the three were on the pitch.
“Ethan Nwaneri’s efficiency in a central function was additionally spectacular, and the mixture play between Ben White and Bukayo Saka down the best can have been a very welcome sight for the supervisor, who was not capable of deploy his first-choice pairing on that flank anyplace close to as a lot as he would have appreciated final season.”
