Arsenal

Umir Irfan
Football tactics correspondent

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Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have taken an alternative approach to their recent summer transfer business. For a team who have dominated the ball, playing slowly and methodically for the last few seasons, they have now looked to introduce directness and counter-attacking threat.

Against Manchester United, Arsenal played more directly and it was to their detriment on the day. We saw numerous quick attacks consisting of players carrying the ball quickly upfield over large distances before trying to play through balls for the attackers. In seasons gone by, they would've likely opted to hold the ball, passing it backwards before restarting their attack.

Martin Odegaard was primarily the player leading the majority of counter-attacks. Viktor Gyokeres' best attacking zones are in the inside right channel. As the Swede darted in behind, Odegaard's weight of pass was off and chances broke down. This made the game end-to-end, suiting United's quick attackers.

Odegaard being left footed here was slightly problematic too. Angle-wise, using a right-footed player would allow the pass to go towards the goal rather than curling away from it, making it easier for someone like Gyokeres to shoot early. Imagine Kevin de Bruyne's through balls (from right central midfield) to Erling Haaland if you're struggling to understand what I mean.

Although this style of play was ineffective in the opening game, there are positives. If Arsenal can get the final pass correct, they'll find themselves in clear goalscoring opportunities more often. How Arsenal balance their slower possession style with this newer, transitional quality will be an important thread to their season.

More on what we learned from the Premier League opening weekend

Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

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Leandro Trossard has agreed a new deal at Arsenal that secures him a pay rise.

The new contract does not change the length of his existing deal, which runs until 2027.

The Belgium forward, 30, has been in discussions with Arsenal over his contract since January.

Trossard joined the Gunners from Brighton in January 2023 and has scored 28 goals in 124 appearances for Mikel Arteta's side.

He was an unused substitute in Sunday's 1-0 win over Manchester United on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.

Laura Kirk-Francis
Fan writer

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At the start of every new season, we as fans are busy scrambling to draw conclusions from the limited data available to us. Did we sign the right players? Do we look like we'll challenge for the title this year? What, if anything, are we doing differently this season?

With the clock ticking agonisingly slowly towards 97 minutes at Old Trafford on Sunday evening, many of those questions remained unanswered.

Much of the attention was understandably on Viktor Gyokeres. The statistics from his full debut represent a brutal baptism to life in the Premier League. Before being substituted on the hour mark, the Swede failed to register a single shot on target, with only three of his touches coming in Manchester United's penalty area.

But looking beyond the numbers, the vision for Gyokeres is clear. A widely shared video of him bullying Manchester United's Matthijs de Ligt off the ball shows him successfully using his physicality. But at times, Arsenal looked like they were unfamiliar with how to play with a centre-forward at all, with Gyokeres' runs being missed entirely. For opposition fans, this is easy fodder with which to label the former Coventry City player a flop with only one game played. For Arsenal fans, the potential is there.

It's also worth remembering that even the greatest of Arsenal legends got off to slow starts at the club. Dennis Bergkamp took eight games to score his first goal, with Arsenal's all-time top goalscorer Thierry Henry scoring his first on his ninth appearance. In even more recent times, Kai Havertz faced immense scrutiny before his first goal on his 10th appearance for the club.

The conclusions drawn from an ugly 1-0 win at Old Trafford can't be reduced to Gyokeres' failings. Moreover, knowing what we do about Gyokeres' passion and ambition to succeed in this league, this challenging start could serve as even more motivation for the games ahead.

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Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton believes those questioning whether Viktor Gyokeres can make the step up after playing 60 minutes in the Premier League are wrong to do so.

"It's just typical isn't in that there is instant judgement and people are making their minds up on him after an hour," said Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club. "When players move to a new club, some fit in better than others, but it takes them all a time to settle in.

"In the final third, it is about combinations and understanding of others so you know how they will link up with others.

"Gyokeres didn't get any service on Sunday. Bukayo Saka had a pretty poor game and Gabriel Martinelli didn't really look for him, so it is going to take time.

"No matter which way you want to look at the Portuguese league, his numbers were phenomenal and his finishing in the Champions League showed he is a pretty good striker.

"As a striker you need to get the opportunities so that understanding of one another should come the longer they train together and as the season goes on."

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta wants to sign a left-winger but the Gunners must sell players before making any further additions to the squad. (Mirror, external)

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Wayne Rooney says it is too soon to judge how well Viktor Gyokeres will adapt to the Premier League as he was "a bit isolated" against Manchester United on Sunday.

The Arsenal striker's top-flight debut was quieter than he probably would have wanted it to be and he was replaced after 60 minutes by Kai Havertz.

"To be fair to him he didn't have much support at times, Rooney said on the Wayne Rooney Show. "He was a bit isolated.

"He showed his strength and there was one time - I think it was against [Diogo] Dalot - he ran into the channel and completely pushed him off the ball. So I think you don't become a bad player after one game.

"I actually played against him a couple of seasons ago when he was at Coventry City and you could tell he was a good player.

"The one thing I will say, this league is completely different to where he's been and there's a lot more pressure, obviously.

"Arsenal have been in need of a striker for the last few years and he's the one they've put the trust in and he's the one they've spent the money on so there is a lot of pressure.

"The question I would have is can he handle that pressure because like we see at Manchester United some players just can't do it, they can't handle the pressure of playing in a big club.

"I guess we're going to find out over the next few months."

Listen to the latest episode of the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sounds

Noel Sliney
BBC Sport Journalist

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

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.

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New Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres was "trying so hard" against Manchester United and just needs to "relax a little bit" next time, says former defender Lee Dixon.

The 27-year-old struggled to show his full potential in the win at Old Trafford on Sunday, but received little in the way of service, meaning he had no shots at goal and his 22 touches were the fewest by a player on either side.

However, after the match, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta accepted some of his new signings were not at the level needed yet but that they "will get there", something Dixon also felt.

Dixon told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast: "Gyokeres was a bit vanilla. Players have to fall into the way of a team playing and sometimes when a player comes in he is trying so hard to make an impact.

"Even in pre-season you can see the troubles of a player trying to settle into a side that plays a certain way. It is alright doing your moves in training and trying to work it out, but in a game, and the intensity of a game like that in the Premier League on the opening weekend of the season, all sorts of things are going through his head.

"He is trying so hard. The patterns just didn't seem to work for him. There is a player there, there is no doubt about it. His goal record is fantastic and that is why Mikel signed him.

"He won't be too disappointed with what happened, it will just be a case of right, back to the training ground, and then next time you play just relax a little bit and all of a sudden those passes and those moves begin to work.

"It will come, there is no doubt about that."

Listen back to the discussion on BBC Sounds

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Manchester United and Arsenal.

Here are some of your comments:

United fans

Richard: I agree with Ruben Amorim - we were clearly the better team and deserved something from the game. In the end, it was a story of two goalkeepers. It's brutal to say, but it's evidence that winning the title by 2028 will need a different person between the posts.

Danyal: For the first time in a while, it was a strange feeling after defeat. We played well and should've probably taken at least a point from this game! The new signings have definitely showed why they were brought in, but we still need to strengthen that midfield before the window closes - otherwise it will always be a mismatch. Regardless, let's move on to the next match. This is a long season but the signs are there.

Jonathan: United were superb. Huge improvements from the ineptitude of last season. Terrible from our keeper, although could have been a foul. Arsenal got very lucky - particularly with the obvious penalty for Cunha. Better days are definitely ahead. We all need to hold our nerve and back our charismatic and capable manager.

Arsenal fans

Matt: Don't judge too soon - only look at the league after the first seven or eight games. Better to start slow while picking up points than peak too early. Martinelli offers little threat and Saka still hasn't hit his best form since his return from injury last season. But we'll come good.

June: Same old, same old. If Gyokeres is going to play up front they have to change the way they get the ball to him. He needs balls he can run on to because he's a proper centre-forward. He's not going to come to get the ball so they have to deliver it.

Kevin: All in all, a good result. Three points at Old Trafford is never easy. Saka and Martinelli are under-performing and becoming very predictable. We need to adapt to the strengths of our new players. But I still feel very optimistic for the future. It's early days yet but I can see the potential, especially with young players like Max Dowman coming through.

Pundits Danny Murphy and Joe Hart join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace

• Nottingham Forest 3-1 Brentford

• Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal are ready to bid for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 28, with the Netherlands international's contract set to expire next summer. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

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Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

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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.

The usually reliable Arsenal defence did not settle and had some shaky moments during the match - Manchester United able to create chances with direct passes behind the visitors' defence.

Riccardo Calafiori is important to the Arsenal attack due to his unpredictability on the ball but his runs into midfield and further up the pitch left Bryan Mbeumo in space and that also caused problems for the Arsenal backline.

Arteta will be pleased to get off to a winning start but there is a lot for the manager to work on before their next game.

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Arsenal beat Manchester United 1-0 in their opening Premier League fixture on Sunday and boss Mikel Arteta believes his team showed resilience to 'find a way to win'.

"We came here away and won which is a big result. We were clearly not at our best," Arteta told BBC Match of the Day.

"We attacked the box and we reacted well to unusual mistakes. The team reacted time after time in an incredible way. Very proud of that because that is why we got the opportunity to win the game.

"We showed a resilience and a will to win. They put you on the ropes here, you will have to have moments when you suffer. To find a way to win at this ground, I'm very happy with the team."

On the new signings: "They have made a good impact on the team, they had a great attitude. Physically some of them are still not at the level we require for 95 minutes but we will get there."

Speaking to Sky Sports about Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi, Arteta added: "Very happy with them, the ones that came in as well, they had a massive impact in the game. Some are still not at the highest level that they need to get to but we will get there."

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• All six of Arsenal's away victories against Manchester United in the Premier League have come by the same 1-0 scoreline which makes it the most away wins one side has over another in the competition with all coming by the same score.

• The Gunners have scored 31 goals via corners in the Premier League since the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign, at least 11 more than any other team (Liverpool – 20).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Man Utd's performance

What did you make of Arsenal's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Ruben Amorim has given debuts to Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo while striker Benjamin Sesko is on the bench.

Manchester United XI: Bayindir, De Light, Yoro, Shaw, Dalot, Fernandes, Casemiro, Dorgu, Mount, Mbeumo, Cunha

Subs: Heaton, Maguire, Zirkzee, Amad, Ugarte, Heaven, Sesko, Fredricson, Mainoo

Mikel Arteta has kept fans happy and named striker Viktor Gyokeres in his starting line-up. There is also a debut for Martin Zubimendi in midfield.

Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, Gyokeres

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, Merino, Nwaneri, Madueke, Havertz, Lewis-Skelly, Timber, Trossard

Three matches make up Sunday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Chelsea v Crystal Palace - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Nottingham Forest v Brentford - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Manchester United v Arsenal (16:30) - BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction from the 14:00 games here

And get Man Utd v Arsenal here

What a great game this is to start the season with. I'm genuinely excited about Manchester United's new signings, especially Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha - we have already seen just how good they are in the Premier League.

I can't claim to have an incredible knowledge on EVERY player so I must admit I have seen less of United's new striker Benjamin Sesko, but he seems a player with a lot of potential and his arrival surely spells the end for Rasmus Hojlund at Old Trafford.

Arsenal have a new centre-forward too of course, and United boss Ruben Amorim knows all about Viktor Gyokeres after their time together at Sporting.

I'm looking forward to seeing how Gyokeres links up with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, and how quickly they can develop an understanding.

Add in how there is always needle in this match and that a win would be huge for either side - there is a lot to look forward to.

It is going to be close but although I feel really positively about United this season, I think they will lose this and Gyokeres might just have the final say against his old manager.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here