Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta admitted his players were not happy with their performance at Old Trafford, despite starting the new season with a win.
Facing a “big power” like Manchester United away from home was always going to be a tough challenge. Arsenal may not have shone on the pitch, but the three-time Premier League runners-up still found a way to secure victory. For Arteta, the 1-0 win brought “mixed emotions.”
The decisive moment came in the 13th minute. United goalkeeper Altay Bayındır failed to properly clear a corner, and the loose ball bounced off his hand before Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori headed it into the net.
United were the better side for much of the match, dominating possession with 62 percent and taking 22 shots, seven of them on target. Arsenal, in contrast, managed just nine attempts, with three on target.
Back in September 2020, less than a year after Arteta’s arrival, Arsenal had only two wins from their previous 40 away games against the Premier League’s “big six.” But under his management, the club has been transformed. They have consistently fought for the title in the last three seasons and are now unbeaten in 21 league games against Liverpool, Chelsea, United, City, and Tottenham—a record run extended by this latest victory.
That history made Sunday’s triumph at Old Trafford even more valuable. Still, Arteta revealed that his squad was far from satisfied with the performance—a mindset he sees as a very positive sign.
“Before I came, Arsenal hadn’t won here in 18 or 22 years, and now I come here, win the first game of the season, go into the dressing room, and still, we are not happy. That’s a good sign.”
“A big, big win came at Old Trafford in the first match of the season. When you feel they are building something special, getting momentum with new players, and want to start strongly, to beat them here—I think I’m very happy.”
Arsenal’s next match is at home against Leeds United on August 23, while Manchester United visit Fulham a day later.
