Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta inexplicably excludes £10million summer acquisition and a group of outcasts from the squad for the match against Manchester United
Arsenal Struggle in Season Opener Against Manchester United
Arsenal began their 2023-24 Premier League campaign with a less-than-impressive performance against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The Gunners, who were without several first-team players, managed to score the first goal of the season through Riccardo Calafiori from a set-piece, but their offensive struggles were evident throughout the match.
Mikel Arteta opted to start Martin Zubimendi alongside Declan Rice in midfield for the encounter, with Christian Nørgaard missing due to an injury. Nørgaard, who joined Arsenal for £10million this summer, was expected to be out for about a week, suggesting that the injury was minor but significant enough to keep him sidelined for the season opener.
The new signing, Viktor Gyokeres, failed to make a significant impact in his Premier League debut, managing only three duels against United's unheralded defence, losing ten. Gyokeres also failed to have a shot on target, a disappointing start for the new Arsenal striker.
Arsenal's offensive woes were further compounded by the new clampdown on pushing and shoving in the penalty area, which might really hurt Arsenal offensively this season.
Despite the disappointing result, Arsenal will be expected to deliver a much better performance against Leeds at the Emirates on Saturday evening. Myles Lewis-Skelly, who can also play as a midfielder, might be given a run-out against Leeds due to Calafiori's performance at left back.
Meanwhile, several Arsenal players, including Reiss Nelson, Jakub Kiwior, Fabio Vieira, Albert Sambi Lokonga, and Oleksandr Zinchenko, are expected to leave the club in the next few days.
On the bright side, Arsenal have scored 31 Premier League goals from corners since the start of 2023-24, at least 11 more than any other side. This statistic offers a glimmer of hope for Arsenal fans, who will be hoping to see their team bounce back from their opening day disappointment against Leeds.
[1] Nørgaard's absence against Manchester United was due to an injury, not a training exclusion. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta disclosed that Nørgaard had a "little issue" that the medical staff would address, which prevented him from playing in the match.
[2] It is possible that Norgaard has a knock as he has not been seen in training this week.
[3] Mikel Merino was named as the sole midfielder on the bench.
[4] Arsenal used a different set-piece routine for their first goal of the season, with five players lining up on the edge of the penalty.
[5] Christian Nørgaard's absence against Manchester United was due to an injury, not a training exclusion. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta disclosed that Nørgaard had a "little issue" that the medical staff would address, which prevented him from playing in the match. The injury was expected to keep him sidelined for about a week, suggesting that the injury was minor but significant enough to keep him out of the season opener.
[1] Nørgaard's minor but significant injury made him unavailable for the season opener against Manchester United in the Premier League.
[2] Despite the team's struggles in offense, Arsenal have scored more goals from corners in European-leagues' Premier League than any other side since the start of 2023-24, offering a glimmer of hope for future performances.
