Raya to the rescue, Martinelli frustrates – Arsenal’s 3 winners and 3 losers vs Man United
Arsenal kicked off their 2025/26 Premier League campaign in style with a statement 1-0 win away at Manchester United on Sunday.
The Gunners have spent big this summer in a bid to end a three-year runner-up streak, not to mention seal their first title since their 2003/04 invincible season.
Mikel Arteta’s side were given an early examination by a revamped Manchester United attack, but stood tall thanks to a strong defensive effort and some heroics from goalkeeper David Raya.
At the other end, Riccardo Calafiori profited from an Altay Bayindir error to net the game’s only goal in the 13th minute — giving Arsenal a precious three points on the opening weekend.
So, who were Arsenal‘s big winners and losers from the trip to Old Trafford?
Winners
David Raya
Sunday really was a tale of two goalkeepers, and while Bayindir floundered at one end, David Raya was sensational at the other.
A save down low to deny Matheus Cunha was the pick of the bunch, but Raya clocked up seven stops in total across the 90 minutes, to the tune of 0.74 goals prevented (FotMob).
Where Bayindir flopped at a cross put right down his throat, Raya dealt superbly with a similar effort fired at him just before the hour mark — which was one of three combined punches and high claims he made on the day.
If Arsenal are to finally win the title, Raya’s performance here could be looked back on with real importance in the final count.
Riccardo Calafiori
Riccardo Calafiori has a very strange habit of popping up with goals, bagging three in 27 combined Premier League and Champions League appearances last season.
The Italian will never have an easier one than this, poking the ball home from a yard out after Bayindir’s error.
But that was just the start of an excellent 72-minute outing from Calafiori, whose powerful running served him well down the left flank.
Calafiori was disrupted by injuries last season, and he did seem to run out of gas a little after the hour, but he’d already done the damage by then.
Martin Zubimendi
There still remains a nagging doubt about how midfielders will cope with Premier League physicality when coming from Spain, despite the successes of the likes of Rodri and Mikel Merino in recent years.
If Sunday’s debut performance is anything to go by, there are absolutely no worries to be had with Martin Zubimendi.
The 26-year-old oozed class on the ball, completing 39 of 44 passes, including four into the final third. However, it was his physical and defensive work that really caught the eye.
Zubimendi covered a joint-match-high 11.5km at Old Trafford on Sunday, while shutting down a huge percentage of what turned out to be wave after wave of United counter-attacks — making three tackles, five recoveries, two clearances and one block.
Sunday’s clash was high-octane and the Premier League at its blistering best, but Zubimendi stood up to the challenge superbly.
Losers
Viktor Gyokeres
Viktor Gyokeres was always going to face pressure, given how long it took Arsenal to sign him — and how long it’s taken the club to secure any big-name centre-forward.
With that in mind, a fast start would have been ideal, but it just didn’t pan out that way on Sunday.
Gyokeres stuck to the task, running hard and battling against the likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro.
However, the Sweden international was often muscled out, while his touch let him down at times, with just four of nine passes completed.
Gyokeres was starved of service as Arsenal battled against United’s exciting attack, failing to attempt a shot or create a chance, and getting just three touches in the opposition box.
Time and patience are required as Gyokeres fits in with his new surroundings, but this was a rough start to life with the Gunners.
Ben White
Ben White was excellent for large stretches of Sunday afternoon’s match, and given how intense his battle for the right-back spot will be against Jurrien Timber, this has the potential to be a statement performance.
However, the very reason White faces a battle to start this season is that his 2024/25 campaign was heavily disrupted by injuries, and unfortunately, that seems to have struck again.
The 27-year-old went down in the 71st minute against Man United and eventually limped off to be replaced by Timber.
It might just be an early-season precaution, with Arteta surely not willing to risk players this early.
But there will always be the worry, given the knee problems White endured last season.
Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli is supremely talented, but he’s now 24 years old and is still yet to truly deliver on that potential.
Last season, Martinelli notched eight goals and four assists in 33 Premier League appearances, which isn’t a dreadful record, but not what you’d expect from a Brazil international with designs on winning the title.
Sunday was another frustrating day at the office, with Martinelli managing just one shot, one chance created and three touches in the opposition box — not to mention only 14 touches overall — before being replace by Noni Madueke on the hour.
Madueke joins Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard in putting Martinelli’s place in Arteta’s starting XI under serious threat if he can’t become a more consistent source of goals and threat.