With the latest iteration of the Manchester United and Arsenal rivalry cast as a battle of the new big money forwards it was a matter of no little irony that the game proved to be won by a defender, the Gunners doing what they do best when form eludes them, hitting the big guy from a set piece. Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Old Trafford was ultimately a scrappy and underwhelming affair from both teams, the sense of progress at Manchester United only serving to highlight how far off the pace the Red Devils have been in recent years.
Still this game afforded the world an opportunity to assess six of the most highly-vaunted transfers of the window. Manchester United have overhauled their attack, but does the Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko trident look like it might click together? What of Viktor Gyokeres, the man who was vying with Sesko for a move to Arsenal throughout the summer, and his fellow new additions Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke? Let’s dive deep into how the debutants fared:
1. Bryan Mbeumo
Of all Sunday’s debutants, Mbeumo might have been the one who looked most settled in his new colors. That shouldn’t be a great surprise, playing on the right of a front three with a wing back bombing beyond him is hardly unfamiliar for the former Brentford man. Within minutes Mbeumo had Old Trafford on its feet, darting infield from the right and firing off a couple of dangerous shots. Whether it is the plan for the long term will not be clear for a while yet, but Ruben Amorim deployed his right winger high and wide, allowing him to shade defensive contribution and get the ball in dangerous areas before Riccardo Calafiori could scramble back. Against a team struggling to get into their rest defense, this was supremely effective.
You couldn’t want for more shots from Mbeumo, and he arguably drew the best of David Raya’s seven save when he rose high to meet Patrick Dorgu’s cross with a powerful header that bounced in front of the Spaniard. Best of all were the flicks and first touches, one to spin Zubimendi early on and a diffident flick of his left boot that set the ball perfectly into the path of Matheus Cunha. It was what came next that was the problem.
2. Matheus Cunha
Manchester United fans were evidently impressed with their new Brazilian, voting Cunha man of the match for a performance that was typified by a level of industry to often lacking from forwards at Old Trafford. The 20 duels he hurled himself into were the most of any player on either side and the pressure he applied from center forward perhaps goes some way to explaining why Arsenal were so loose with their build-up play.
Equally Cunha himself might have been guilty of some rather careless decisions in possession. The 26-year-old typified the two interlinked problems of United’s performance, the first being a series of rushed shots that meant that 22 efforts on goal only equated to an underwhelming 1.52 expected goals (xG). Last season was a brilliant one in terms of scoring return for Cunha, his 15 Premier League goals going a huge way to keeping Wolves in the division. He was, however, an awful long way ahead of his xG of 8.65, his scoring numbers swelled by a string of brilliant long range efforts that even the sport’s best finishers only net so often. Half of his shots in 2023-24 came from outside the box, as did five of his goals off 2.25 xG. Such a hot streak tends not to last forever.
On more than one occasion he tried to conjure up more magic again on opening day, as did Mbeumo. Take the image below, where Cunha has just received a smart flick from his fellow new signing with space between the lines. He could try to slip the ball back to Mbeumo, who is moving into an onside position. Instead he strikes tamely from range. This might be a sign of things to come, but it is also hopefully not beyond the wit of Amorim to simply instruct Cunha to work the ball into a more advantageous shooting spot.
Premier League
Of course, this image speaks to the other trouble with United, how few players there were around the penalty box when the hosts were attacking. There might have been even more than 22 shots if for the first hour of the game the cutbacks that went into the box were aimed at anyone in particular. As the nominal striker, perhaps Cunha could have done more, but leading the line is not really the Brazilian’s game. He much preferred dropping off into the center and the left channel, something which might have worked well if Mason Mount were as natural at running in behind as Mbeumo. Instead United slipped into what too often felt like a two man counter, relying on Cunha or Mbeumo to conjure something from nothing. Occasionally they looked like they might, as when Cunha breezed through Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Gabriel, but this was a tough ask for the debutants.
3. Benjamin Sesko
That changed at least partially when, with 25 minutes left, Amorim turned to Sesko. A quick cameo is far too little on which to judge a raw striker whose impact should be assessed over years, not his first few games, but there was precious little to complain about. What did United need as they tried to turn the tide late on? Penalty box presence. That’s what they got. Wayne Rooney was among those to offer qualified praise for the debutant “He held the ball up,” United’s record goalscorer said on his podcast, “he put himself in the middle of the goal and he was waiting to try and get chances, so I think there’s lot of positives.”
Sesko ended his brief cameo with four penalty box touches and two shots on goal. More impressive still were the chances he created, particularly the first where a stretching run in behind the Arsenal backline ended with him flicking the ball back into space. Ultimately it should not have been logged as a shot assist for the Slovenian, Manuel Ugarte hitting and hoping from 30-ish yards when there were plenty of more effective ways he could have used the space. Still, things happened for United with Sesko on the pitch. That is plenty encouraging as starts go.
4. Viktor Gyokeres
Indeed, in those 25 minutes United’s new man ended up with more penalty box touches than the player Arsenal favored over him. Gyokeres took just three, and the most dangerous of those was also the most inauspicious. Finally unleashed down the inside left channel where he was so devastating for Sporting, Gyokeres drove at Matthijs De Ligt and looked to cut in onto his right foot. Instead he contrived to tread on the ball, which spun backwards and sent him scrabbling to give away a free kick. This was a trying debut for the Swede, but perhaps that was to be expected. After all, plenty behind him were struggling too.
Arsenal were faster than ever in win at Manchester United, but is new style here to stay or circumstantial?
James Benge
Most encouraging, however, is how his teammates looked to adapt their game to make Gyokeres as effective as possible. As discussed at greater length here, this was the fastest Arsenal have played in their three-plus seasons of Premier League title contention. There was a tangible commitment to get a quick ball up to their striker, who has long looked at his best as a sort of one man counter. Then again, as is evidenced in the left touch map below, Gyokeres himself seemed to be trying to adapt to Arsenal. He was not hovering in his favored spots but swung into both channels and dropped deep to aid in build up.
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Bukayo Saka said of his new team mate: “I was impressed with him and he battled for us. It was tough. There was a big battle up there. I thought he did well. “His performance gives us something to build on and I am sure it will help him next week. He has slotted in well and so have the other guys.”
Even in a game with no shots and no chances created, there were flashes of Gyokeres working well, a fine cross demanding more from Gabriel Martinelli than a volley attempt connecting with nothing but fresh air. Flashes is what they were though, and that will have to change quickly. Part of the reason why Arsenal plumped for a 27-year-old once of the Championship rather than Sesko, long viewed as Europe’s next top striker, was the belief that Gyokeres could come in and make an immediate impact. There is still time for that assessment to be vindicated, of course, but there might be work to do when it comes to blending the styles of Gyokeres and Arsenal.
5. Martin Zubimendi
Ten minutes in it was not Gyokeres who would have had Arsenal fans jittering though. Zubimendi had captivated supporters in preseason and the stage seemed set for him to stamp his mark on Manchester United’s undermanned and inferior midfield. And then, pow, a loose right arm to the face from Zubimendi and the former Real Sociedad man seemed to be spinning. This was a proper welcome to the Premier League moment and for a while it seemed that the Spaniard might be overawed. Three of his first four passes went astray, but a fair chunk of them were flicks and lay offs, what was more concerning was that Zubimendi couldn’t really get on the ball.
Ultimately, he never quite stamped his mark on a game that seemed ill-suited for a passing metronome. Crucially, in such weird circumstances, Zubimendi just did the basics well. After those three misplaced passes to start the game he did not give the ball away again until the second half. Out of possession, the 26-year-old cleaned up play quite nicely and ate up the ground with only Martin Odegaard covering more distance than him. There will doubtless be games over the course of the season where he completes 30 or 40 more passes or makes his mark with a brilliant through ball. In the rest all Arteta would want from his deepest midfielder is a bit of solidity, a performance that could pass you by if you aren’t paying close attention. That was what Zubimendi delivered and it was absolutely fine.
6. Noni Madueke
On the subject of absolutely fine, there’s not much more that can be said about Madueke, whose half hour cameo involved just 15 touches of the ball. He created one shooting chance by playing the smart ball to Declan Rice on the edge of the box and might have had a goal at the death if Bruno Fernandes hadn’t got a heroic boot on Bukayo Saka’s cross. There was not a lot to spot from Madueke but that is no surprise, Arsenal were bunkering in at the death.
What was perhaps more significant for Madueke’s prospects at Arsenal were the difficulties of the man he replaced. Martinelli swung at fresh air, struggled to find his passing radar and had little other impact in the final third. The Brazilian has borne the brunt of fan frustration in preseason and looks a neutered version of the devastating attacker of three years ago. Arsenal are on the lookout for an attacker who can strengthen their options on the flank but in the meantime it would not be a surprise to see Madueke snare the starting spot when Leeds arrive at the Emirates on Saturday night.
