Mikel Arteta Concedes Arsenal Lacked in Areas but Praises Win Over Manchester United

Mikel Arteta admitted that Arsenal struggled in some parts of the game, but noted that their win against Manchester United has now boosted their confidence ahead of the next matches.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke after his team's narrow 1-0 victory over Manchester United in their Premier League opener.

Arsenal managed to walk away with the victory, thanks to Riccardo Calafiori's sole goal, which made the difference in the match.

From there Arsenal were forced to withstand periods of pressure, with Patrick Dorgu hitting the post and Matheus Cunha testing David Raya on several occasions.

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Raya was assured throughout, while William Saliba produced a vital last-ditch tackle on Matheus Cunha in stoppage time to preserve the win and hand us the perfect start to the new campaign.

As the match started, Bryan Mbeumo had the first effort on goal, easily gathered by Raya, before Viktor Gyokeres made his physical presence felt.

Falling behind only spurred the hosts on. Dorgu rattled the woodwork from the left, and Matheus Cunha repeatedly drove at Arsenal's defence, though his finishing could not match his energy. Raya kept out another fierce effort from the Brazilian as United's pressure mounted on either side of halftime.

Martin Odegaard went close for us with a shot from distance, while substitute Gabriel was on hand to make a superb block to deny Mbeumo after Cunha carved out an opening.

Mikel Arteta turned to Kai Havertz and debutant Noni Madueke to give us fresh legs, while United introduced Benjamin Sesko in search of an equaliser. But Raya continued to stand tall, diving low to keep out Mbeumo’s header, before Saliba’s crucial late intervention on Matheus Cunha sealed a hard-fought 1–0 victory.

Mikel Arteta: Winning Gives You Confidence and Momentum

Despite the victory, Mikel Arteta believes there are aspects to work on, insisting that their win against Manchester United will give them the confidence to continue dominating their upcoming matches.

"It's a hugely important result in the first game of the season at Old Trafford. I felt the team created something special, gained momentum with a new player, wanted to start the season well, and ultimately got the win. I'm very happy and proud of the team," Arteta said.

The manager also discussed the need for consistency, something the Gunners have lacked in their pursuit of the title over the past three seasons, often falling just short.

"Winning gives you momentum and confidence, two very important things. Even when you're not at your best in certain areas, which honestly we weren't today, you can still find a way to win. And the team needs to maintain this resilience throughout the season, for 10 months, under different conditions," Arteta added.

What Next For Arsenal?

Mikel Arteta's side will play their first home game of the season next week against newly-promoted Leeds. However, a daunting run of fixtures follows, with matches against the reigning champions, Liverpool, a tough Nottingham Forest side, and the dominant force of the last decade, Manchester City, in three consecutive matchdays.