Ruben Amorim congratulated his players despite Manchester United’s loss against Arsenal in their opening game of the Premier League 2025/26 season
The memories of last season’s defeat are still fresh. Manchester United finished the Premier League 2024/25 in 15th place and lost the Europa League final against Tottenham, eliminating them from any European tournament in 2025/26. Ruben Amorim became the manager in the middle of the season, but the situation did not change. Now, the 2025/26 season also started with a 1-0 defeat against Arsenal.
United started the game well. In the early minutes, the team had energy and grip on the ball, but everything went wrong when goalkeeper Altay Bayindir made a wrong decision on a corner and Riccardo Calafiori put the ball into the net with a header. Amorim then brought on Benjamin Sesko in the 65th minute, raising hopes. Bryan Mbeumo tried his best to equalise. First, his brilliant bicycle kick went out of the goalpost, and then the header was stopped by Arsenal’s David Raya. The result was a shock defeat.
Amorim’s opinion
After the match, Amorim said via BBC that he was happy with the courage and performance of the players. He believed that the team played more aggressive football than last year. The manager said that United did high pressing throughout the game and did not back down in one-on-one battles. Amorim said that the team could create chances even when they had the ball and without it. He admitted that victory is important, but the look of this game was completely different from last season.
Ruben Amorim congratulated his players despite Manchester United's loss against Arsenal in their opening game of the Premier League 2025/26 season.
Amorim has got things right, but he needs to deliver soon
“I’m really proud of the guys. They were really brave in everything they did during the game. Congratulations for the performance. We deserved a different result and we need to move forward to the next one.
“We were more aggressive than last year. We went one against one all the game and we pressed high. We had quality with the ball. Even when the stadium made some sounds, we continued to play the way we play.
“You always feel in the game they can do something not just with the ball but without the ball. I am proud of the game we played. We lost and have things to work on.
“We need to win games but that was completely different to last season.
We cannot deny that Amorim’s words are true. There was a change in the look of the game, and United showed passion even after they lost the game against Arsenal. Compared to the helpless and scattered team of last season, this match was different. Pressing and aggression were evident; the players did not play in fear, but challenged a strong team like Arsenal but the question is, is that enough?
We think the tactical changes point in the right direction. High pressing and one-on-one battles have been United’s hallmarks, and Amorim has tried to revive that. Being out of European competitions could also be an advantage for United, as the team can focus on the Premier League and domestic cups. Playing at the same intensity all the time is not going to be easy, but fewer fixtures could help players avoid fatigue.
The concern, however, is that it could be dangerous to repeatedly present defeats as positives. Supporters need wins, especially after last year’s humiliating collapse. Optimism is good, but a team like United can’t be satisfied with just “played well”. We need wins, we need trophies. Amorim has got things right, but he needs to deliver soon. United fans can be hopeful, but patience has its limits.