Old Trafford got a glimpse of the future it has been craving. Manchester United were quicker to the ball, braver in possession and more vertical in transition than for much of last season. The noise was back, the tempo was up, and debutants brought a jolt of electricity. Yet the only number that mattered stayed stubbornly against them, decided by a 13th-minute corner that United will feel was avoidable.

Altay Bayındır’s spill from Declan Rice’s delivery allowed Riccardo Calafiori to nod in what proved the game’s single goal. From there United carried the fight, hit the post, and forced David Raya into a handful of important saves, but the equaliser never came. The boos at full time were not for the effort; they were for the fine margins that slipped away.

A promising tempo meets a preventable goal

United began on the front foot, pressing Arsenal’s first pass and breaking with purpose when the ball was turned over. That momentum made the concession all the more galling. A routine inswinger found Bayındır in traffic and his touch merely redirected the ball into a dangerous zone where Calafiori reacted fastest.

There were appeals for a foul on the goalkeeper, but the decision stood. The larger frustration was that the moment undercut a start that looked aligned with Amorim’s blueprint: higher line, quicker restarts, and a willingness to play forward early when space appeared.

Cunha and Mbeumo stretch Arsenal, Dorgu rattles woodwork

Matheus Cunha’s direct running repeatedly prised open lanes between Arsenal’s centre-backs and full-backs. One slalom from halfway had the crowd on its feet, and several efforts kept Raya honest. Bryan Mbeumo dovetailed smartly on the right, finding pockets and attacking the far post with conviction.

Patrick Dorgu added thrust from full-back and came within inches of a debut highlight, drilling a low strike against the base of the post that sparked United’s best spell. The combination play down that flank was a recurring theme, even if the final contact deserted United when it mattered.

Raya’s interventions and United’s missing final touch

For all United’s intent, Raya stood tall. A reflex, one-handed save denied Mbeumo’s late header, while earlier he gathered Cunha’s skidding efforts without fuss. When chaos arrived from Bruno Fernandes’ set-pieces, Arsenal’s keeper cleared his lines decisively — the contrast with the opening goal was stark.

United fashioned enough half-chances to claim a point, but the cutting edge was missing. Mason Mount’s stint as the nominal nine stretched Arsenal but did not yield the penalty-box touch; Benjamin Šeško’s introduction added presence yet not the final finish. On another day, one ricochet falls the right side.

Amorim’s calls and course corrections

The manager’s selection bore his imprint. Casemiro held the middle to allow runners ahead, while Mount’s role as a mobile spearhead aimed to disrupt Arsenal’s build-up. After the interval, Amad Diallo’s entrance injected directness and ball-carrying, and Šeško’s debut offered a target for crosses and cut-backs.

The No 1 question remains the elephant in the room. Bayındır’s error is a tough lens through which to view his performance, but in a game of fine margins it proved fatal. Set-piece mechanics and goalkeeper protection will be early-week priorities at Carrington.

Reasons for belief despite the scoreline

United were quicker, more cohesive and more threatening in transition than the result suggests. The chemistry between Cunha and Mbeumo looked natural, Dorgu’s athleticism offers a new outlet, and the crowd responded to a style with forward intent.

Solve the set-piece softness and settle the goalkeeping picture and this performance will translate into wins. As opening salvos go, this was far from perfect, but it was recognisably a step towards the team Amorim wants Old Trafford to embrace.