Calafiori Strikes After Goalkeeper’s Error As Arsenal Grind To Win At Manchester United

Blazing sunshine and a engaged caller marquee serving trade ale down nan Stretford End: Manchester United began successful a shiny caller world and vanished successful nan gloom of different defeat.

First look astatine Altay Bayindir’s howler that handed Riccardo Calafiori an easy header. But past zoom retired and you spot this: a situation astatine No 1 for United that features Ruben Amorim going each summertime not fancying André Onana and still turning up for nan play opener without a high-end replacement. Result: Bayindir’s ricket.

The caput coach defended preferring Bayindir to Tom Heaton erstwhile reminded really nan Turk allowed a akin extremity – consecutive successful from a Son Heung-min area – past play successful nan 4-3 Carabao Cup conclusion astatine Spurs. He denied, too, dropping Onana arsenic he had not “trained” capable aft wounded and stated contentment pinch his trio of keepers. The 40-year-old has to opportunity this of people yet Onana and Bayindir person a grounds of goal-costing errors.

Arsenal grounded to occurrence passim – Viktor Gyökeres’s 60-minute debut was a non-event – but they did not request to pinch United truthful dismal astatine some ends.

Towards nan adjacent Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo tripped complete Arsenal players successful a hectic scramble to cancel retired Calafiori’s strike: a snapshot of United’s chronic toothlessness. Moments later, a amended Mbeumo headed effort drew a bully prevention from David Raya. There were further goalmouth scrambles but nary United subordinate could instrumentality nan shot successful nan net.

In a middling contest, Amorim’s squad had to do what nan visiting left‑back did – pinch this 13th-minute extremity a disaster for United and a joyousness for him. Declan Rice arrowed a area successful from nan left, a clownish Bayindir simply palmed nan shot connected and Calafiori nodded location a shot already heading in. “One‑nil to nan Arsenal” came nan ecstatic taunt from nan faithful. At nan time, United complained that Bayindir was caught successful a melee.

Afterwards, Bruno Fernandes said: “When you touch nan goalkeeper and he can’t jump, that makes it difficult for Bayindir. We cognize successful nan Premier League they don’t springiness much. Even if they had a gathering pinch america saying that they will whistle much if players artifact and don’t look astatine nan shot but it is much of [them] saying [this].”

Just arsenic fishy arsenic nan goalkeeping was nan XI sent retired that could beryllium marked “curio”, pinch Amorim preferring Casemiro to Manuel Ugarte successful midfield and Mason Mount nan nominal No 9 (no squad spot for Rasmus Højlund), though Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha started.

Matheus Cunha made an early belief up beforehand alongside different Manchester United caller signing, Bryan Mbeumo. Photograph: Dave Thompson/AP

The caller boys began accelerated – Mbeumo barged complete Martín Zubimendi (also connected debut), Cunha ran in, howled for his twin-10 to pass, he did, but Arsenal escaped. Mikel Arteta, who issued a trademark moan astatine Mbeumo’s challenge, had to watch arsenic Mbeumo again motored on his correct corridor but nan changeable was a pea-roller into Raya’s hands.

At this juncture, United were accelerated and furious, moreover erstwhile defending. From a Fernandes area Arsenal collapsed and Mount hared backmost to thief out. Then, aft Calafiori’s winner, United were backmost successful counterattack mode. A proposition of serial moments but nary of nan patterns Amorim (surely) craves.

Patrick Dorgu deed a post. The livewire Cunha wriggled successful a near area and turned and forced a Raya reflex save. Zubimendi’s foul connected Fernandes had nan second hitting nan wall to nan correct of nan area. A scintillating Cunha tally took him from halfway done a thicket of opponents and clear but nan effort was scuffed. Mbeumo’s tiny layoff was followed by a 25‑yard Cunha changeable consecutive astatine Raya.

Yet without Bayindir’s howler Arteta would person had nan harder half-time chat arsenic his squad were nary soft unit, tapping nan shot about, manoeuvring those successful reddish for illustration Subbuteo pieces. Rice and Zubimendi exerted scant power successful cardinal areas and Gyökeres laboured and suffered from his teammates’ creation deficit.

United, brighter successful this department, saw Mount fluff their latest attempt, truthful Amorim had to do thing – beryllium diligent (in hope) aliases make a change.

He chose nan latter. Diallo (another astonishing exclusion) entered for nan mean Diogo Dalot and nan Ivorian impressed – 1 much Amorim squad action puzzler. Benjamin Sesko, continually warming up, watched arsenic Fernandes flipped successful a dead-ball from nan near area emblem and Raya roseate and punched distant – arsenic Bayindir fatally grounded to do.

To boos Gyökeres was hooked connected nan hr for Kai Havertz. The derision came from spurned suitors aft nan Swede chose northbound London not southbound Manchester.

But jeers became cheers arsenic Sesko was fixed a 25-minute debut – for nan anonymous Mount. Ugarte, too, was introduced, for Casemiro. Immediately, a tangle pinch Noni Madueke, different visiting substitute, was nan midfield wound United lacked.

Amorim’s men were lacking each complete nan park. A tight triumph for Arsenal. One much chastening time for nan Portuguese’s project.

Fernandes was near clutching straws. “I really liked nan guidance of nan fans astatine nan end. That was much a motion of dream than what we did during nan game.”

Amorim was much pithy. “We request to triumph much than past season,” he said.