Arsenal picked up a hard-fought three points at Old Trafford after securing a 1-0 win against Manchester United.
The Gunners took the lead in the 13th minute after a blunder from Manchester United’s Altay Bayindir allowed Riccardo Calafiori to convert the only goal of the game via a corner-kick routine.
Despite Mikel Arteta securing a valuable three points in Arsenal’s opening game, it was far from a straightforward afternoon for the visitors.
Viktor Gyokeres endured a “tough” Arsenal debut – he failed to register a single shot on goal at Old Trafford before he was ultimately substituted after 60 minutes for Kai Havertz.
Viktor Gyokeres during Arsenal vs Manchester United.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
However, the defence held strong in the face of a late Manchester United resurgence, and one Gunners player in particular played a vital role in keeping a clean sheet on the day.
Gabriel Magalhaes singles out David Raya for Arsenal
Although Gabriel was name-dropped for a great display against the Red Devils, he has reserved praise for his goalkeeper, David Raya.
The Spaniard took to his Instagram account after the result on Sunday to comment on an important victory for Arsenal.
Raya said: “(An) Important win away from home and a clean sheet. See you all next week at the Emirates.”
To which Gabriel responded with a fire emoji, recognising Raya’s efforts as he continues to prove his credentials as one of the best in his position in the Premier League.
Raya faced a tough battle against Matheus Cunha and came out on top, as he played a crucial role in nullifying the opposition attack and producing seven saves in the process.
Arteta has built a strong defensive foundation during his tenure at Arsenal, which has proven to be the cornerstone in lifting the North London outfit into Premier League title contention in recent years.
Arsenal must address the problems in attack
Indeed, Gyokeres was not the only Arsenal attacker who failed to impress at Old Trafford despite the main focus centring around the summer arrival’s debut.
Star talisman Bukayo Saka looked a shadow of his former self, and although he saw the most of the ball among his attacking teammates, he too failed to take a single shot on the opposition goal.
Player Peformance vs Manchester United Minutes Played Touches Shots On Target Shots Off Target
Viktor Gyokeres 60 22 0 0
Bukayo Saka 90 40 0 0
Gabriel Martinelli 60 14 1 0
Kai Havertz 30 19 0 0
Noni Madueke 30 14 0 0
Statistics provided by Sofascore.
Gabriel Martinelli was the only attacker for Arsenal to test Bayindir, raising a serious cause for concern for Arteta after spending an initial £103 million on offensive recruits this summer.
And with long-reported Arsenal target Eberechi Eze now expected to complete a move to North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, time is running out for the Gunners to address these concerns in the market.