The first Super Sunday fixture of the Premier League season didn't quite live up to the hype but nor was it the damp squib that we've come to expect from some of the recent Manchester United vs Arsenal fixtures.
A lot was made of the potential striker shoot-out between Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres, and in the end, neither front man had a say in the balance of proceedings.
Viktor Gyokeres Heat Map vs Man UnitedOpta by Stats PerformGyokeres started for the Gunners and was subbed off on the hour.
During his time on the pitch, not only did he not score, he also didn't create a single opportunity or have one shot on or off target.
It was the first time he hadn't scored on the opening day of the season for five years after goals for Coventry City in 2021/22 (v Nottingham Forest) and 2022/23 (v Sunderland), for Sporting in 2023/24 (v Vizela) and in 2024-25 (v Rio Ave).
Bayindir at fault for only goal of the gameSesko arrived on the scene four minutes after Gyokeres' departure in place of Mason Mount, and the sum total of his contribution was two shots off target.
Altay Bayindir was making just his fifth Premier League appearance at the expense of Andre Onana, having conceded 10 goals across his previous four.
Unfortunately for the custodian, he was at the centre of the match-winning goal, which arrived in the 13th minute.
Unlucky for United.
As Declan Rice swung in a corner, Bayindir was left floundering, and Riccardo Calafiori headed home at the far post for the third Premier League goal of his career.
Just like the other two, at the Etihad Stadium v Man City in September 2024 and at Molineux v Wolves in January 2025, it came away from the Emirates Stadium.
As if to evidence how well the Gunners have adjusted to their set-piece routines of late, it was also a 31st goal from a corner since the start of the 2023/24 season - 11 more than any other team in the division.
United took the fight to ArsenalIt might be said that it was totally against the run of play too, given that United had had 69.
7% possession of the ball and Arsenal had only managed nine passes in the opening 10 minutes of the match - their fewest in a Premier League game since September 2022, also vs Man United at Old Trafford (five).
Ominously for Ruben Amorim and his squad, the Red Devils had failed to win any of the last six English top-flight matches when conceding first, and going behind again at home was the 13th occasion they had done so since the start of the previous campaign.
Man United vs Arsenal: Momentum shift during the gameOpta by Stats PerformThe hosts still poured forward, having shot after shot, with Patrick Dorgu coming closest to getting United back on terms, only to see his shot come back off the woodwork.
Indeed, after 35 minutes of the match, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo had already combined to have more shots (4 - two each) than the entire Arsenal team (three).
By contrast, the Gunners could only manage a total of four shots in the half, one of which came from Gabriel Martinelli, a player who was so off colour he played just two passes in the entire opening 45 minutes.
Gunners lead at half-time was significantDespite being under pressure for long periods, the fact that Arsenal still led at the break would've been of some significance in their dressing room as they had lost just one of their previous 52 Premier League games when in front at half-time (W42 D9).
New United signing, Cunha, was in the thick of it with 48 separate pressures applied on the Gunners back line, by far the most of any player on the pitch leading up to the hour mark.
A flurry of substitutions from both sides in the space of 11 second-half minutes did little to alter the pattern of the match, David Raya having to make five saves for the visitors as the hosts continued with their attacking assault.
Mbeumo's five shots were his most in a Premier League game since October 2023 v Burnley (6), indicating that he too had done everything but score on the day.
Amorim's 15th defeat in 28 Premier League gamesTo give some further context, Man Utd recorded 20+ shots against Arsenal for the first time since their 8-2 win in August 2011 (25), so although Amorim lost his 15th Premier League game from the first 28 he's managed (W7 D6) - the fastest a manager has reached 15 defeats in the competition without taking charge of a newly-promoted team since Paul Hart with Portsmouth (2009 - 27 games) - the Portuguese will understand that on another day luck would've been with his team and they would've been rewarded for their endeavours.
Man United vs Arsenal Match StatsOpta by Stats PerformRaya's 50th clean sheet in the Premier League was also Martin Odegaard's 71st Premier League win as captain of the Gunners, bringing him level with Patrick Vieira.
Only club legend Tony Adams has more victories as captain - 130.
Man United vs Arsenal Player RatingsBetopickOdegaard's 63 touches were also the most from an Arsenal perspective, and the Norwegian will lead his team with confidence again in their next fixture at home against Leeds United.
The Red Devils, meanwhile, will lick their wounds and go again at Fulham in another Sunday afternoon clash.
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