**Arsenal**are able to look back at their trip to **Old Trafford**with a sigh of relief, knowing that they took away what matters most. But three points will not mask the flaws of their performance. Indeed, two of the pillars of the team discussed what they have to improve for them to stay fighting at the top.
‘It wasn’t good enough with the ball’
A brief interview at half time with Martin Odegaard indicated not everything was going to plan.
"It’s been a bit too hectic at times, so much space. Without the ball we need to be more compact and when we get the ball we need to pick the right moments and be a bit more accurate when we counter."
The second half became even more stretched with **Matheus Cunha**opening his legs and **Amad Diallo**working Noni Madueke down the right flank. Yet, the Gunners grabbed all three points and a clean sheet: in terms of the outcome, their goalkeeper, David Raya, could not want anything more.
"It's a great start in terms of points. In terms of a difficult place to come and get the three points and a clean sheet. We know it wasn't good enough with the ball and we made a lot of mistakes, so there's a lot of things to improve, but I'm happy to get the three points and start with a clean sheet."
It is the second time in three seasons that he has achieved this feat in this fixture, winning 1-0 at **Old Trafford**in May 2024. The Red Devils do not traditionally allow **Arsenal**to play at their best, so the Spaniard had to take care of the fine margins, pulling out a sharp save to deny Cunha in the first half.
"We know coming to this place how important it is to be alert. I try to do my job, help the team. I think I did that and tried to help the team as much as possible. We got the three points and the clean sheet.”
The result was not only the responsibility of the 29-year-old. The guests have held the best defensive record in the Premier League over the last two seasons and showed why they are such a strong unit.
"That's the willingness, the fight, the spirit that we have together, where things are not going our way and we make mistakes, everybody's sprinting back and trying to help the teammate that has made a mistake to recover the ball and do the right thing. We did that and we dug deep very well, especially the last 10-15 minutes where they threw everything to us and we defended well. Credit to the team."