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Former Arsenal defender and double winner Lee Dixon believes new forward Viktor Gyokeres has work to do to.

“He was a bit vanilla," Dixon told BBC 5 Live. "Players have to fall into the team. When a new player comes in he’s trying so hard to make an impact.

“The patterns just didn’t seem to work for him. There’s a player there, there’s no doubt about it. His goal record is fantastic and that’s why Mikel signed him."

Debutant Viktor Gyokeres wasn't helped by a lack of service yesterday.

His tally of 22 touches was the second fewest on either side among the players to start, with Arsenal's attacking intent stifled by Manchester United for the most part.

Arsenal struggled to get hold of the ball, with their number of passes into the final third and touches in the opposition penalty area being around half of their average last season.

Danny Murphy
BBC Match of the Day pundit

I felt for Viktor Gyokeres a bit. The stats aren't good but that's because he's relying on other players to get him the ball.

Arsenal have got brilliant creative players but they weren't quite at the races. It was a low-key performance and their main creators were not feeding him.

Let him settle in, any player needs to build up relationships with other players, especially forwards.

Arsenal have come into this season with a new, more direct, style of play as they look to get the best out of £64m striker Viktor Gyokeres.

However, Gyokeres looked like he was lacking in match fitness and despite Arteta saying that the forward "did a lot of things very good" he added that he and his staff have to "work on" Gyokeres' pressing.

Arteta also said his side did not make enough of the chance to play the ball behind the United defence, something that would have shown Gyokeres' qualities, and they missed "seven or eight situations when the ball is completely open to play through" to attack the goal.

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Viktor Gyokeres' Arsenal debut saw him end a run of 69 league games in which he has had at least one shot.

You have to go back to April 2023, when he was playing for Coventry City against Blackburn Rovers, for the last time the Swede failed to record a single shot in a league match.

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Viktor Gyokeres was Arsenal's big summer signing - the number nine fans have been crying out for for so long. But, result aside, it was not the Premier League debut he'd have hoped for at Old Trafford:

• Shots - 0
• Successful passes - 4
• Pass success rate - 44.4%
• Touches in opposition box - 3
• Total touches - 22
• Aerial duels won - 1/6

Alex Howell
BBC Sport Arsenal reporter at Old Trafford

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The excitement before meeting against Manchester United for Arsenal supporters was that they were going to see their new £64m signing Viktor Gyokeres in action in a Premier League match.

The Gunners have come into this season with a new direct style that they are hoping will get the best out of the Sweden striker, and be the difference in them lifting a trophy during this campaign.

Gyokeres' main attributes are using his power and strength to burst through the centre-backs and boss Mikel Arteta is trying to increase the amount of chances he gets.

However, Gyokeres is lacking in match sharpness and has only been back in full training since signing for Arsenal - after he did not attend Sporting's pre-season while he looked to force through a move.

There were occasions when the 27-year-old was played into promising positions, but it looks as though it will take time for the players to get used to their new system and for him to build up the fitness he needs to become a key part of the Arsenal attack.

It was not the debut Gyokeres would have dreamed about, and the forward was jeered off by the United supporters when he was replaced by Kai Havertz in the 60th minute.

Fair point, Jordan. There has been lots of debate around Gyokeres, though that is understandable for such a high-profile signing - and not all of it is critical.

Here is a look back at the Sweden striker's afternoon...

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Since the start of 2023-24, Arsenal have scored 31 Premier League goals from corners – at least 11 more than any other side.

In that same period, Manchester United have conceded the most with 23 goals coming from corners.

To add to their threat from corners, seven of their starting 11 measure up at 6ft and above - although United matched this.

Altay Bayindir has come in for some criticism after his early error that proved crucial in the final outcome, but manager Ruben Amorim has leapt to the defence of the Turkey international.

Joe Hart
BBC Match of the Day pundit

In the millisecond it takes for Declan Rice to approach the ball, William Salibia has moved Mason Mount out of the way and has got himself locked in a physical battle that Altay Bayindir would not have been prepared for.

Bayindir will be well aware he's not catching it but he wants to get a good punch on it and clear his lines. He manages to free himself from Saliba and this is where he needs forward momentum but Saliba knows that and just gets the nudge in as Bayindir tries to take off.

In this situation I would want my team-mate next to me, I would want Mount the other side of Saliba so I can use him as a human shield. You want someone who is going to handle one of the hardest players on the pitch but Saliba just got around it so easily.

We also want to hear from you lovely lot this morning.

Send us your thoughts on everything that happened in the Premier League this weekend - with our initial focus being Arsenal's win at Old Trafford.

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You have watched the highlights, but what did the managers think?

Interviews with Ruben Amorim and Mikel Arteta coming right up...

There were plenty of new faces on show for both sides - but they had mixed afternoons.

New Manchester United duo Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha topped the player ratings on the BBC Sport website.

But Arsenal's £64m signing Viktor Gyokeres, lacking in match sharpness after a truncated pre-season, struggled to make an impact.

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