Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal must improve after narrow victory
- Arsenal secured a 1-0 victory against Manchester United in their opening match of the Premier League season.
- Both Mikel Arteta and Bukayo Saka acknowledged the team's performance was not meeting their usual standards.
- The players expressed a need for improvement despite the joy of winning at Old Trafford.
In England, Arsenal played against Manchester United on the opening day of the Premier League season at Old Trafford, securing a narrow 1-0 victory. The game was a tightly contested affair, with Arsenal's only goal coming from Riccardo Calafiori in the 13th minute, when he headed in following a set piece from a corner taken by Declan Rice. Despite celebrating the win, Arsenal's performance drew criticism from both Mikel Arteta and players like Bukayo Saka, who highlighted areas of concern, including poor decision-making and inefficiencies in their game. Mikel Arteta praised his team’s resilience during the match but acknowledged that the overall performance was not reflective of Arsenal's typical standards. He emphasized that the team must improve in various areas to compete at the highest level and noted the significance of triumphing at Manchester United's home ground on the first day of the season. Arteta remarked on the difficulty of securing a win away from home, especially against a seemingly improved United side. Bukayo Saka echoed Arteta's sentiments, pointing out that Arsenal had displayed some 'sloppiness and bad decisions' during the game, which could have led to serious consequences had they been playing against a different opponent. He stated that while the team managed to claim all three points, they could not afford to play in such a manner in future matches. Saka highlighted the importance of maintaining focus and being aware of the mistakes made in the encounter. Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya also acknowledged that while the victory was hard-fought, the team had many areas to work on, particularly regarding possession and keeping control of the ball. He stressed the need for improvement to avoid unnecessary mistakes. According to Raya, every player displayed a good fighting spirit, especially in the last few minutes when United aggressively pursued an equalizer, but he emphasized the importance of enhancing their overall gameplay as the season progresses.