´The players want more´ – Arsenal know they can be better, claims Arteta

Mikel Arteta has claimed his Arsenal team know they fell short of the levels they demand of themselves in Sunday’s 1-0 win at Manchester United.

Riccardo Calafiori’s early header proved decisive at Old Trafford, where Arsenal have now won two of their last three Premier League visits after only winning once across 16 previous trips to the venue in the top flight.

All six of Arsenal’s away victories against United in the Premier League have come by the same 1-0 scoreline, yet the Red Devils were arguably the brighter team this time around.

United recorded 22 shots, their most in a Premier League match against Arsenal since an 8-2 win in August 2011 (25) – indeed, it is the most shots the Gunners have faced in any league game they have kept a clean sheet in since November 2020 vs Leeds United (25).

And Arteta knows his team have much more to offer.

He told Sky Sports: “Massive [to get the result], to come here with the atmosphere and the new signings.

“We have to be humble about how we scored the goal and games are won in both boxes, which is what we did today.

“I look at the players’ faces and they want much more. We know that we are much better than what we showed in certain moments.”

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

On his Premier League debut, new forward Viktor Gyokeres struggled to get into the game for the Gunners.

He failed to have a single shot in a league game for the first time since April 2023 for Coventry City against Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, ending a run of 69 league appearances in which the Swede registered at least one shot.

However, Arteta was nevertheless impressed with Gyokeres, as well as fellow new signing Martin Zubimendi, who started in midfield alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.

“Very happy with them, the ones that came in as well, they had a massive impact in the game,” Arteta said.

“Some are still not at the highest level that they need to get to, but we will get there.”

Arsenal 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), with Calafiori the player to benefit from that prowess on this occasion, albeit he was helped by some suspect goalkeeping from Altay Bayindir.

“Like always, we worked a lot on set-pieces and that is what we showed today. We have to improve if possible and keep going,” Calafiori told Sky Sports.

“If we want to compete at a high level we have to be good in every position. The confidence we have is going to bring up the level.”