Ruben Amorim v Arsenal
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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim claimed his side “deserved more” from their Premier League opener after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Old Trafford.
Riccardo Calafiori’s first-half header proved decisive as the Gunners began the campaign with victory, though United produced a much-improved performance compared to last season. The Red Devils dominated possession, created multiple chances and showcased the quality of their summer signings, yet failed to find a breakthrough.
Patrick Dorgu struck the post, while new arrivals Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo both looked lively in attack. United registered 22 shots and held over 60 percent possession but were unable to turn pressure into points.
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Amorim, beginning his first full season in charge, praised his players despite the result.
“We deserved more and we were the better team, that is clear, but in the end we lost,” he toldMatch of the Day. “We need to work on the things we need to improve. We need to defend set pieces. We did a lot of things right.
🚨 Rúben Amorim: “We prove today that we can win any game in the Premier League”.
“We were the better team against a great team like Arsenal”. ❗️ @BeanymanSports pic.twitter.com/Bs0Va4Y7vV
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“I am really proud of my players. We were more aggressive and brave. In certain moments I think Bryan [Mbeumo] and Cunha helped a lot. We stuck to the plan even when the stadium was nervous, and that will help us in the future.”
Sunday’s match was the first time since 2011 that United recorded more than 20 shots in a Premier League game. Ironically, the last occasion came in their famous 8-2 win over Arsenal under Sir Alex Ferguson. This time, however, their efforts went unrewarded.
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Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta praised his side’s resilience after they survived heavy pressure to secure three points.
“The team has to find that resilience throughout the season in different contexts to be able to do that,” Arteta said. “Of course, we have to improve a lot of things and that will happen very soon.”
The result gives Arsenal early momentum as they look to end a run of three consecutive second-place finishes, while Amorim will take encouragement from the performance despite starting his United tenure with defeat.
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