Arsenal squeezed out a 1-0 win on the road at Manchester United in their opening match of the 2025/26 Premier League season.
The Gunners needed to show their trademark defensive grit late on at Old Trafford as Riccardo Calafiori’s early goal proved enough to secure all three points.
Mikel Arteta was forthright in his post-match analysis, reminding his players to ‘stay humble’ over how they had sealed the win, and former United captain Roy Keane claimed they are still short as title contenders.
However, the result was key, and a home clash with Leeds United on August 23 offers a chance to showcase their summer signings in front of the Emirates Stadium crowd.
Daniel Farke’s Leeds also won, as part of the extended opening weekend, as Lukas Nmecha’s controversial penalty snatched a 1-0 home victory over Everton.
Arteta will be looking to make a statement back in North London and The Sporting News takes a look at three key issues facing the Spanish coach.
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Gyokeres needs to feel the love at Arsenal
One of Arteta’s stellar summer arrivals endured a debut to forget at United as Viktor Gyokeres was replaced by Kai Havertz on the hour mark.
Arsenal paid an initial £55m transfer fee to bring in Gyokeres from Sporting CP, to ‘solve’ their striker crisis in July, after scoring a spectacular 97 goals in 102 games in Lisbon.
However, his debut numbers were less than impressive, failing to register a shot and making just three touches in the opposition penalty box.
There is no danger of Arteta dropping him for this game, but the old clichĂ© of ‘needing a goal’ is already relevant here, with so much attention.
The skillset is there to open his Premier League account vs. Leeds but needs the home faithful right behind him.
Arteta’s transfer call over Havertz injury
Havertz will miss this game, and potentially a chunk of the season, following a fresh injury setback.
The Germany international has set off alarm bells after picking up an injury in training this week and that could push Arteta back into the transfer market before the September 1 deadline.
Havertz’s absence in the second half of last season highlighted Arsenal’s issues in front of goal and that has now resurfaced.
Not directly a factor for this game, but it certainly will be on Arteta’s mind, amid a likely late bid for Crystal Palace talisman Eberechi Eze.
Are Arsenal lacking attacking confidence?
A win at United was the goal but fans will have left Old Trafford pondering several aspects of the performance.
A mixed preseason has caused some concerns – despite the flood of new players – and the attacking display on the opening weekend was poor.
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Just three shots on target – including Calafiori’s scruffy close-range effort and tame strikes from Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard – were all Arsenal produced.
Only Leeds, with two, registered less attempts on target and still won on their first outing of 2025/26.
Declan Rice put all three of his shots off target, with Bukayo Saka wayward with his sole hit, and Arteta needs to rev his attack up ahead of this clash.
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