Ruben Amorim will have been frustrated in the best possible way after his Manchester United side went down to Arsenal in a spirited display.
Man Utd’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal was cruel on the players, who put forward a performance that is sure to put the rest of the league on notice.
Altay Bayindir’s error, which was arguably a foul too, was the only difference between the two sides in a game that was completely dominated by United.
No other stat sums it up better than two United players matching the entirety of the Arsenal squad by themselves in one key area.
Bryan Mbeumo of Manchester United shoots
Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images
Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha set the standard
The positive early signs were visible through Bryan Mbeumo, who left the Arsenal defender on his back with his first touch of the game, with his pass to Matheus Cunha slightly overhit.
That set the tone for the evening, as the duo dovetailed flawlessly, creating chances out of thin air and getting Old Trafford on their feet on multiple occasions.
Cunha was fearless in his runs with the ball, while Mbeumo grew into the game and looked the most likely player to score on the day.
Together, they finished with a remarkable nine attempts on goal, which was as many as the whole Arsenal team combined managed in the game.
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It was a far cry from the anaemic efforts of last season, where United matches could have been prescribed as a cure for insomnia.
Amorim said so himself after the game that the most important thing he took from it was that they were not boring.
Cunha and Mbeumo personified that change by setting the attacking standards on their competitive debut.
Ruben Amorim learned a few things vs Arsenal
The team played well despite the result, but it was also clear that Amorim underestimated his own side before the game.
He chose a defence-first XI that had no natural striker, and Dalot played at right wing-back alongside Amad. Even Casemiro over Kobbie Mainoo could be disputed, but at least solidity is the preference in midfield when Bruno Fernandes is the other player in it.
It emboldened Arsenal, and the difference in the team’s play once the attacking reinforcements came on was night and day.
Amad ran the Arsenal defenders ragged with his dribbling, Sesko provided a nuisance up top, and even Harry Maguire was thrown forward at the end, doing a great impression of a striker.
Amorim will have learned that his attacking XI can go toe-to-toe with most teams, and he doesn’t need to solidify his team to get results in big games.
The game against Fulham, up next, will be a good test of these learnings.