Arsenal Show They’re More Than Just Saka and Rice
Starting the Premier League with a win at Old Trafford makes Arsenal’s message clear.
The opening weekend is rarely kind to teams, and a visit to Manchester United on match day 1 tells a lot. Despite being a heavyweight clash, the teams had to battle it out, with Arsenal coming out victorious 1-0, thanks to a 13th-minute header from Riccardo Calafiori.
Arteta didn’t rely on their headline makers, Saka and Rice, to grab all 3 points, instead, they leaned on collective resilience to get the job done.
Power of Arsenal’s Set-Piece Strategy
The breakthrough moment came early, and Calafiori was first to react to Declan Rice’s corner, marking his first goal of the 2025/26 season. Arsenal have turned set-pieces into a lethal weapon under set-piece coach Nicolas Jover. Since the 2023/24 season, the Gunners have outscored every other Premier League team, having 31 set-piece goals to their name.
“Like always we were working a lot on set-pieces and that is what we showed today,” defender Calafiori said in the post-match interview.
Arsenal’s Organisation against Manchester United’s Possession
Manchester United dominated the game with 62% possession and 22 shots, spending most of their time in Arsenal’s area. While the numbers told a story of dominance, the result told another.
Even though Arsenal were not at their best, they let United have the ball but protected dangerous spaces with a compact defensive shape. The backline of Gabriel, Saliba, and Calafiori soaked up pressure, while David Raya’s seven saves underlined his role as one of the Premier League’s most reliable shot-stoppers.
“Massive (result), to come here with the atmosphere and the new signings,” Arteta said. “We have to be humble about how we scored the goal and the game is won in both boxes which is what we did today.”
Why the Old Trafford Victory shows a different Arsenal
Much of the talk before kick-off revolved around Saka’s creativity and Rice’s midfield control. But the game was different.
- Saka was quiet, marked tightly by Tyrell Malacia and doubled up by Casemiro.
- Rice, while instrumental in delivering the decisive corner, didn’t control the midfield battle as he often does.
- Viktor Gyökeres, Arsenal’s big attacking signing, struggled to find rhythm on debut and was substituted early in the second half.
However, Arsenal still found a scrappy way to win, showing the maturity of the team.
What This Win Means for Arsenal
A season-opening victory at Old Trafford is more than just a psychological boost as
Arsenal demonstrated that even when their big names aren’t at their best, they still have the tools to overcome tough challenges.
For Arteta, it was the perfect booster to launch another title push. For the rest of the league, it was a clear warning: stopping Saka and Rice won’t be enough.