Ruben Amorim will be far from impressed after his Manchester United side suffered a 1-0 loss against Arsenal.
Altay Bayindir was the United culprit after the goalkeeper was left floundering inside his penalty area as Riccardo Calafiori scored the only goal of the game from a corner kick.
Manchester United had threatened to grab a late equaliser at Old Trafford, but Arsenal held firm to hand Amorim a defeat in his first Premier League outing of the 2025/26 campaign.
Although Amorim refused to comment on expectations for the season, it is imperative that the Portuguese boss delivers immediate results after the club recorded its worst-ever league finish last term.
Ruben Amorim looks on during the Manchester United Pre-Season Tour: Premier League Summer Series
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Nevertheless, United rarely looked like threatening the opposition goal despite the duo of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo starting the match on Sunday.
However, there is one player in the Manchester United starting lineup who stood out above the rest and showed the newcomers how to impress in the famous red shirt.
Matthijs de Ligt runs the show for Manchester United
Matthijs de Ligt lauded the United boss for his methodical approach despite ending their maiden year at Old Trafford with a 15th-placed league finish and Europa League final loss to his name.
Indeed, Amorim has been the subject of intense scrutiny throughout his short tenure in England, and the pressure will be on now more than ever to live up to the promise shown at Sporting CP.
Furthermore, former Man United legend Wayne Rooney expects Champions League qualification this season despite the monumental task ahead of closing the gap to their Premier League rivals.
De Ligt proved at Old Trafford that he can thrive at the heart of Amorim’s three-at-the-back system this season with a dominant display against last year’s runners-up.
Matthijs de Ligt vs Arsenal Total
Touches 73
Pass Accuracy 88%
Long Ball Accuracy 71%
Ground Duels won 60%
Aerial Duels won 55.5%
Clearances 6
Interceptions 2
Tackles 2
Distance Covered 9.5km
Statistics provided by Sofascore.
The Dutchman faced criticism last season at times as he endured a slow start to life in England, but his display at Old Trafford is certainly a positive sign for the future.
De Ligt was at the heart of Manchester United’s build-up play, completing 88% of his 57 passes and 71% of his seven long balls as he laid down a serious statement of intent against Arsenal.
Manchester United fans love Cunha and Mbeumo
Although the newcomers failed to get themselves on the scoresheet during their Premier League debut for the club, the Old Trafford faithful are in awe of the pair.
Admittedly, it would be a tall task to ask both Cunha and Mbeumo to hit the ground running immediately at Manchester United, but the signs are positive.
The Red Devils struggled offensively last season, and the plan of recruiting talent from within the English top-flight to bolster a lacklustre front line has been the preferred method, excluding the acquisition of Benjamin Sesko.
Manchester United supporters are well within their rights to be ecstatic at the early signs shown from the pair, but the growing influence of the current crop of players, particularly de Ligt, cannot be overlooked.