Manchester United’s 1-0 loss to Arsenal doesn’t tell the story of the game, and that has been reflected in the mood around the camp afterwards.
Ruben Amorim said he was proud of the players, as new signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo lifted the spirits at Old Trafford.
The cutting edge was missing, but there are plenty of positives to take from the result, which promises a brighter future.
Glenn Hoddle picked one such player who flew under the radar but was ‘excellent’. As per Hoddle, he played his best game in a Utd shirt.
Viktor Gyoekeres of Arsenal battles for possession with Matthijs de Ligt
Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Glenn Hoddle praises ‘excellent’ Matthijs de Ligt
In a game where Man Utd had 22 shot attempts, a figure against Arsenal matched only by the team that won 8-2 in that famous game in 2011, it was hard to stand out as a defender.
Not for Matthijs de Ligt, however, who looked like a man on a mission against Arsenal, contributing in both phases of play with aplomb.
De Ligt defended with aggression, using physicality to brush away the opposition, with Viktor Gyokeres handed a nightmare debut thanks to the Dutchman.
Hoddle gave him his flowers after the game while all the plaudits flowed to Mbeumo and Cunha.
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He said (Speaking on Premier League productions broadcast): “There is excitement over the players he’s brought in, and they looked good, but I thought De Ligt was excellent. It was probably his best game in a United shirt, with the ball and defending. There were a lot of pluses.”
He even made the third-man runs that Amorim’s system is known for, regularly venturing into the attacking box to provide a passing option that created overloads.
The raw stats are good, as he finished the game with 50 passes, six clearances, three shots, and eight duels won, among others, but the eye test was even better.
Matthijs de Ligt's game by numbers vs. Arsenal:
88% pass accuracy
50 passes completed
10 defensive actions
8 duels won
6 clearances
5 aerial duels won
2/3 tackles won
3 shots
2 blocks
1 key pass
Man of the match. 🥇 pic.twitter.com/Q3ZEzEwHBC
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) August 17, 2025
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He perfected the intangibles like leadership and cajoling his teammates into the perfect position, even covering for a rare weak Leny Yoro game.
De Ligt earned starting honours with a sterling pre-season that puts him above Harry Maguire in the pecking order, and he repaid the manager’s faith against Arsenal.
Man Utd have a bright future
Often, even a victory can seem like it’s papering over the cracks, but against Arsenal, it is clear that the defeat hides the progress underneath.
If United perform like this, they will win most games, let alone one against a team that is expected to contend for the title this season.
Effectively, this was a game of Man Utd’s floor against Arsenal’s ceiling, considering which, the final scoreline is the only negative thing about the game.
There is a bright future ahead, and De Ligt showed that he is set to be a critical part of it.