A tasty all-Premier League pre-season affair ended with the acquainted sight of Arsenal downing Manchester United.
Whereas United received the higher of their home rivals in the US final summer time, the Pink Devils went on to endure a dire 2023/24 Premier League marketing campaign, ending virtually 30 factors adrift of Mikel Arteta’s burgeoning facet. The Gunners accomplished their first double over Man Utd since 2006/07 and toppled Ten Hag’s facet once more on Saturday evening.
Rasmus Hojlund opened the scoring for United earlier than Gabriel Jesus restored parity. There was little sense of Saturday’s bout being a pleasant with the Pink Devils notably eager to let their opponents know they had been there. Finally, although, Gabriel Martinelli struck the decisive blow to seal a pre-season win for the 2024/25 title hopefuls earlier than United claimed a minor victory within the subsequent penalty shootout.
Listed below are 4 takeaways from the pleasant at SoFi Stadium.
The arrival of Ruud van Nistelrooy appears to have paid early dividends for Hojlund, who netted the sport’s opening purpose with a end the Dutchman would not have minded pulling off himself.
It was a scrappy purpose, however one Hojlund needed to work arduous for. The Dane outmuscled younger Arsenal defender Ayden Heaven within the left channel, labored his method into the field and poked his effort past Karl Hein handy United an early lead.
Hojlund’s pleasure was short-lived, nevertheless, as six minutes later he was pressured off by means of harm. The striker is suspected to have sustained a hamstring harm which may maintain him out for a while relying on the severity.
United had been then struck by the exit of summer time arrival Leny Yoro earlier than half-time with the French defender reportedly coping with an ankle problem. Ten Hag has been bolstered by the return of Harry Maguire at centre-back, however Lisandro Martinez is at the moment having fun with an prolonged break following his Copa America exploits.
Whereas there’s hope Yoro hasn’t sustained a serious problem, lacking any size of time at this very early stage of his United profession wouldn’t be preferrred.
Having loved a coming-of-age marketing campaign in 2022/23, Martinelli endured a down 12 months final season and is determined to bounce again in 2024/25.
There have been mitigating elements in Martinelli’s downturn final outing, together with a much less cohesive left-hand facet and a foot harm which noticed him miss a lot of the run-in. Arsenal as an alternative leant on Leandro Trossard and his clutch gene over the last couple of months of the season, however Arteta will likely be effectively conscious {that a} match and firing Martinelli provides one other layer to his various assault.
The winger is contemporary having barely featured for Brazil on the Copa America and positively appeared spritely throughout his substitute look in Inglewood.
Dogged and decided down the left flank in trademark Martinelli trend, it was the Brazilian who gained Saturday’s bitty pleasant for Arsenal with a intelligent end having pushed infield.
Purchase your Martinelli shares for 2024/25, folks.
Arteta has been accused of failing to nurture and harness the event of Arsenal’s younger weapons at a senior stage, with a number of proficient graduates transferring on or enduring sub-par mortgage spells.
The reality is it will take a particular expertise to interrupt into this Arsenal workforce given the present stage of the Mikel Arteta challenge.
17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri could effectively have what it takes. The previous youngest ever participant to seem within the Premier League has excelled at youth stage and is now turning heads in pre-season. His experiences for the primary workforce have come few and much between, however his work to date this summer time suggests he is prepared for the massive leap.
Diminutive however sturdy and wily, Nwaneri is an explosive playmaker who will battle to get overwhelmed bodily. He is received a formidable sense of timing and has proven his means to execute within the remaining third. It was his pinpoint supply that allowed Jesus to equalise in Inglewood throughout yet one more assured summer time show.
There’s scope for {the teenager} to earn loads of minutes as Arsenal’s left-sided quantity eight subsequent season.
There is a sense at Previous Trafford that Amad Diallo’s time could also be upon us. The winger loved a vivid finish to 2023/24 and has impressed in the beginning of United’s pre-season, particularly of their 2-0 win over Rangers.
“Now this needs to be the 12 months [for Amad to step up],” Ten Hag stated after United’s win in Edinburgh. Amad was picked forward of Antony for Saturday’s pleasant towards Arsenal and it appears the Brazilian has a giant battle on his palms to earn the beginning job again.
The return of Jadon Sancho after he ironed issues out with the supervisor means competitors is fierce down United’s flanks, with Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford the popular choices on the other facet. Rashford’s efficiency on Saturday provided room for optimism following a poor 2023/24.
Amad was not at his greatest on this encounter, being changed by Antony on the break, however the Brazilian was sometimes ineffective. There’s simply no method United can endure one other season with Antony enjoying greater than a bit-part function.
In Amad, Sancho, Rashford and Garnacho, United’s broad choices ought to excite supporters.
