Arsenal’s set-piece menace and defensive resilience sees off Man Utd however Mikel Arteta is aware of they want extra

Arsenal had solely gained two of their earlier 11 journeys to Outdated Trafford. A gap-day victory at a stadium the place they’ve so typically struggled is one thing to be celebrated, nevertheless unconvincing.

Mikel Arteta referred to as it a “massive” outcome afterwards. “To go in the first fixture at Old Trafford with that atmosphere, the way they are building momentum, with new signings and excitement around them, it’s a great feeling,” he added to Sky Sports activities.

They did it by falling again on attribute strengths. Riccardo Calafiori’s winner got here from a brand new nook routine. “We don’t want to be predictable,” mentioned Arteta. However the end result was acquainted. It was their thirty first aim from a nook for the reason that begin of 2023/24.

No different aspect has managed greater than 20 in that timeframe.

They’re in a league of their very own in terms of set-pieces and so they stay the Premier League’s excellent workforce defensively too.

Even ending 10 factors behind Liverpool final season, they conceded seven objectives fewer than every other aspect. This was simply the most recent instance of their resilience and organisation below strain.

They have been indebted to David Raya too, in fact. He made seven saves in whole, together with an impressive intervention to disclaim Matheus Cunha within the first half. However few sides can rival Arsenal in terms of summoning the grit and savviness required in circumstances such because the final 20 minutes at Outdated Trafford.

“Arsenal are one of the best teams at managing games and knowing how to run the clock down,” mentioned Sky Sports activities pundit Gary Neville on co-commentary. “They are an experienced unit.”

Their expertise was examined, notably within the first half as Manchester United’s new signings Bryan Mbeumo and Cunha rampaged freely into area. However Arsenal responded.

“They really dug in,” added Neville. “They showed a lot of resilience. We know how good they are defensively. The goalkeeper made some great saves and the back four got better as the game went on.

“They have been by no means at their finest, however to return right here to Manchester, whether or not it is Outdated Trafford or Manchester Metropolis’s floor, is all the time robust. To get three factors is huge for Mikel Arteta.”

The Arsenal boss described his side’s defensive efforts as “phenomenal” but there was also an acceptance that, overall, their performance was “not at their requirements”. In truth it was not even close. “We have to enhance lots of issues,” he added.

The primary problem for him and his gamers, having solely scored 69 objectives to Liverpool’s 86 final season, is to get again to offensive ranges demonstrated through the 2023/24 marketing campaign, once they hit a club-record whole of 91 having netted 88 within the earlier one.

The membership have acted this summer season with that in thoughts, spending a mixed £115.5m on Viktor Gyokeres, who began at Outdated Trafford, and Noni Madueke, who got here on for Gabriel Martinelli in its place within the second half.

Arteta spoke with apparent pleasure concerning the qualities Gyokeres, scorer of 97 objectives in 102 video games for Sporting, will add to his aspect forward of the sport. However the early proof suggests there’s lots of work to do to adapt, each for him and for the workforce.

Gyokeres labored laborious and confirmed glimpses of his bodily qualities up in opposition to Manchester United’s defenders however he made means for Kai Havertz on the hour mark having solely accomplished 4 passes and never registered a single shot.

Gyokeres will want extra service. He might want to construct up chemistry along with his new team-mates too. However he was not helped by Arsenal’s collective sloppiness in possession.

Their passing accuracy charge of 75 per cent was their lowest in a Premier League recreation for the reason that 2-2 draw with Manchester Metropolis final September and fell nicely beneath final season’s common of 89 per cent.

Arteta will hope that’s all the way down to early-season rustiness however there are broader questions on Arsenal and their relationship with danger, introduced into focus by Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis opening their campaigns with four-goal victories this weekend.

“The sign of a really good team is when you’re not at your best and you win football matches,” mentioned Sky Sports activities‘ Roy Keane. “The worry for me in the second half is there were opportunities to really go at Manchester United, but they seemed off it from that point of view.

“Going ahead, competing with Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis, they appear to need to go for that second or third aim, whereas Arsenal are pondering, ‘Oh, we’re 1-0 up, perhaps we’ll maintain onto it’.

“That backfired on them last year when they had too many draws. That won’t win you league titles and has to improve. Arsenal need to be clinical in their play and really go for that second or third goal.”

What issues most, in fact, is that Arsenal left with the outcome they got here for. Historical past tells us Outdated Trafford shouldn’t be the bottom for a free-wheeling method, even at one of the best of instances. However discovering the attacking fluency to match their defensive power is essential to their title hopes this season. It stays a piece in progress.

Sky Sports activities to indicate 215 dwell PL video games this season

From this season, Sky Sports activities’ Premier League protection is rising from 128 matches to no less than 215 video games solely dwell.

And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League video games this season might be proven dwell on Sky Sports activities.

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