Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal: Calafiori header seals hard-earned win for Arteta´s men

Riccardo Calafiori scored the only goal as Arsenal claimed a hard-fought 1-0 win over Manchester United in their Premier League opener at Old Trafford.

Arsenal’s excellence from set-pieces continued as they scored from their very first corner of the campaign 13 minutes into Sunday’s game.

Declan Rice put his in-swinging delivery right on top of Altay Bayindir – who was selected despite Andre Onana recovering from a hamstring injury – and the United’s goalkeeper’s weak punch allowed Calafiori to nod home from beneath the crossbar.

That was Arsenal’s only clear chance of the game as United debutants Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo took the fight to Mikel Arteta’s visitors, but they could not find a leveller.

31 & 23 – Since the start of the 2023-24 season, Arsenal have scored the most goals from corners in the Premier League (31), while Manchester United have conceded the most from them (23). Inevitability. pic.twitter.com/1Im2BJk9X0

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 17, 2025

David Raya got down brilliantly to turn an angled, left-footed drive from Cunha to safety, shortly after Patrick Dorgu struck the base of the post from the left corner of the area.

Arsenal spent much of the second half defending, attempting just four shots to United’s eight as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard remained peripheral figures.

United’s best chance to equalise came from a floated Dorgu cross in the 74th minute, but Raya scrambled across his line to repel Mbeumo’s downward header.

William Saliba’s last-ditch challenge on Cunha helped Arsenal navigate a tense finale, as they joined potential title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City in winning their first game.

And despite showing some signs of improvement, Ruben Amorim’s side sit where they finished 2024/25 – 15th in the Premier League.

15 – Ruben Amorim has now lost 15 of his 28 Premier League games (W7 D6) – this is the fastest a manager has reached 15 defeats in the competition, without taking charge of a newly promoted team in that period, since Paul Hart with Portsmouth in 2009 (27 games). Prolonged. pic.twitter.com/hjvJAVCG5M

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 17, 2025

Data Debrief: One-nil to the Arsenal

The build-up to Arsenal’s season has largely focused on their big-money acquisition of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP, but the striker was withdrawn 60 minutes into a disappointing Premier League debut in which he failed to attempt a shot or create a chance.

It was the first time the Swede had failed to have a shot in a league match since April 2023, for Coventry City against Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, ending a run of 69 straight league appearances with at least one shot.

It was an old strength of Arsenal’s that proved decisive, with Calafiori’s goal their 31st from corners in the Premier League since the start of 2023-24.

That is at least 11 more than any other team in that period, with Liverpool netting 20 such goals. In the same timeframe, United have conceded a league-high 23 goals from corners.

All six of Arsenal’s Premier League wins at Old Trafford have come by a 1-0 scoreline, the most away wins any team has over another with all of them coming by the same scoreline.