The need for the Red Devils to go back into the market was underlined by their 'keeper's howler while the Gunners showed defensive steel once more
The sun was shining, the Stretford End was singing with no music to drown out its cries and the optimism in the air was tangible. But once Manchester United's engaging Premier League season opener with Arsenal was over, Ruben Amorim was not having to speak about his exciting new attack or his usual talisman Bruno Fernandes.
Instead he was taking questions on the goalkeeper who everyone was blaming for the 1-0 defeat. And this time it was not Andre Onana he was forced to defend, but Altay Bayindir. United's stand-in shot-stopper began the season as their No.1 because Onana had only just recovered from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of pre-season action, but very quickly Bayindir had his head in his hands after his attempt at punching away a corner led to Riccardo Calafiori heading home on the goal-line.
The United boss was in a prickly mood as he tried to defend Bayindir in his post-match press conference, blaming permissive refereeing of Arsenal's physical approach while at the same time criticising his player for his decision-making. "I think you are allowed to do lots of things at corners," he said. "We need to do the same. But when you touch that way, the goalkeeper, he needs to use his hands to catch the ball, not push players. He chooses to push players and let the ball pass."
Amorim then tried to take the heat off Bayindir by pointing to his performance against Arsenal in the FA Cup against the Gunners eight months ago, but he was unable to say what he clearly thinks: that United need to spend yet more money and buy a new goalkeeper.
The combined £133.5 million spent on Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha looks to have been well spent, and if it were not for some top-draw saves from David Raya and some steely defending from William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, United might well have won the game. But unless they find an upgrade on Bayindir and Onana, then Amorim will be facing plenty more questions about his two goalkeepers from now until the end of the season, or the January transfer window at the very least.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Old Trafford…
Getty ImagesWINNER: Arsenal defence
The jury remains out on whether Arsenal have solved their striking problems, but their backline remains as mean and determined as ever. The Gunners possessed the best defensive record in the last two Premier League campaigns, and on this evidence they will make it three in a row.
Sure, Mbeumo and Cunha gave them plenty of scares, but each time Gabriel and Saliba managed to put out the fires. Gabriel blocked a powerful effort from Mbeumo in the first half, and when the new signing burst through the middle of the pitch after latching on to a Bruno Fernandes pass, it was the Brazilian who got back to take the ball off him.
Saliba, meanwhile, blocked a dangerous-looking shot from Mason Mount, coolly dispossessed Patrick Dorgu in the area, and then, in the last couple of minutes, beat Cunha to the ball as United had all their bodies stationed in the box. To cap the strong defensive display, it was Calafiori who made the difference after Saliba had put Bayindir under pressure from the corner.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Big-money strikers
Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres were supposed to be the headline acts of this fixture as the two clubs' marquee signings, arriving with the hope of shaking up each side's blunt attacks. But it said a lot of their contribution that the only goal of the game came from a goalkeeping howler from a corner.
Sesko started on the bench despite Amorim declaring he was "ready", although the coach's decision could be understood given the Slovenian had only arrived from RB Leipzig eight days ago. Int the end, Sesko got 25 minutes to show what he was made of, but fluffed his one chance, heading well wide.
Gyokeres, however, will be more disappointed even though he ended up on the winning side. The Sweden striker had only 21 touches before he was replaced by Kai Havertz on the hour mark having not managed a single shot. He was out-thought by Leny Yoro and out-fought by Matthijs de Ligt as Amorim's warning that his former charge should expect a "more physical league" rang true.
It was a damning indictment that in the closing stages of the game, both clubs were back to where they started last season, with Havertz leading the line for Arsenal while Harry Maguire became United's focal point.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Cunha & Mbeumo
United's two new forwards brought with them 36 Premier League goals from last season, and they demonstrated on Sunday that they will need no bedding-in process as they instantly brought the hosts' attack to life.
Mbeumo left Calafiori in a heap when the game was less than a minute old and burst forward with menace, before ultimately bungling his pass to Cunha. The Cameroon international was a constant thorn in Arsenal's left side, forcing a save from Raya and then smashing an effort against a blocking Gabriel. He continued to trouble the Gunners after the break, obliging Raya to save well from his header before missing narrowly with an overhead kick.
Cunha was equally impressive down the other flank, twisting his way past Declan Rice and Saliba before steering a shot towards the far bottom corner which Raya brilliantly kept out with his fingertips. Between them, the debutants had nine shots on goal and five on target.
"They created a lot and they were in the right positions," said Bruno Fernandes. "They were dangerous and it was a good first impression for them. But I’m sure they will do much better."
Getty Images SportLOSER: United's goalkeeping situation
Onana being injured would not normally be seen as a major problem at most clubs, but United were soon reminded once more that however unreliable they think their No.1 is, the alternative is far worse. Bayindir's hand was too weak to push Rice's corner away from his goal, never mind away from the box, and it gifted Calafiori the opening goal and completely undid United's otherwise positive start.
Most goalkeepers manage to avoid conceding directly from a corner throughout their entire career, but Bayindir has now done it twice in his two years with United. Those are far from the only mistakes he has made, either, as his careless chip straight to the head of Joelinton gifted Bruno Guimaraes a goal at Newcastle back in April. In the final game of last season, meanwhile, he fumbled the ball straight to the feet of Morgan Rogers and was only saved by the referee mistakenly blowing his whistle before the Aston Villa midfielder could put the ball in the net. Bayindir has now conceded 21 goals in his 12 United appearances, and has been directly culpable for at least three.
So, even after spending over £200m in the transfer market, United desperately need to sign a new goalkeeper, and ideally two, before the window closes on September 1. It says a lot about United's dire goalkeeping situation that the club have even looked into bringing David de Gea back, two years after unceremoniously dumping him.
