Manchester United and Arsenal face for the first time before the new season in New Jersey (USA). The match was a friendly one, but as usual, the clash between the two super close opponents was not... "friendly".
A match of physical collisions, typical of fierce competition, existed between the two sides. And this was also Bruno Fernandes' first match as the Red Devils captain.
The match was exciting with tit-for-tat moves from the start. Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah took turns threatening Tom Heaton's goal but could not score. New Man United goalkeeper Andre Onana is not ready to play in this match.
In the 30th minute, Bruno suddenly appeared with a difficult long-range shot that hit the ground. Just 7 minutes later, it was Jadon Sancho's turn to double the gap for Man United after a quick counter-attack. This goal helped Sancho relieve pressure after recent poor performances.
After conceding 2 quick goals, Arsenal attacked strongly but failed, even when Man United changed the entire squad in the second half.
After 90 minutes, the two teams played alternately and Man United won with a score of 5-3.
At some highlights of this match, Bruno's perfect start in his new role showed that he was never afraid of responsibility, but on the contrary, he was excited about that. The captain's armband is never too heavy for Fernandes and this is definitely a positive start.
Coach Erik ten Hag said that Harry Maguire no longer being the captain could be beneficial, because that would allow him to focus on his match.
Meanwhile, with David de Gea parted ways, Dean Henderson preparing to leave Man United to go to Nottingham Forest, Heaton was expected to be a backup option for Onana and he has performed well with saves.
Sancho impressed but will have to maintain that more often.
On the side, coach Mikel Arteta chose a strong lineup for the match, with new signings Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber having their first appearances for the club. Kai Havertz also played the 70 minutes.
Despite the defeat, what Arteta has in midfield could make Premier League opponents jealous. Rice, Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard are a few of the names Arteta could use.
It's all about quality, but how to combine it is a question mark that Arteta wants to resolve before the first match of the season next month.
