Ruben Amorim’s goalkeeping gamble backfired as Riccardo Calafiori’s first-half header gave Arsenal victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
In their £200m summer rebuild, United opted against bringing in a new keeper.
With first choice Andre Onana not playing a game in a pre-season because of a hamstring injury he suffered at the start of last month, Amorim selected Turkey international Altay Bayindir ahead of veteran Tom Heaton for his side’s opening Premier League game.
But Bayindir allowed himself to get trapped on his line as Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice curled a dangerous 13th-minute corner underneath the crossbar. Bayindir could only get a weak hand to the ball and ended up pushing it on to Calafiori, who turned home what turned out to be the winner from less than a yard.
The result was harsh on the home side, who were much improved on last season and carried by far the greater threat in the game, accumulating more possession and having significantly more shots and efforts on target.
However, Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made a series of excellent saves to keep the home side out, turning away three shots from one United debutant Matheus Cunha and scrambling to his left in the second half to keep out a goalbound effort from another, Bryan Mbeumo.
Rice went close for the visitors with a late free-kick but Arsenal were still able to complete their fifth victory in six league games over United.
