A tasty all-Premier League pre-season affair ended with the acquainted sight of Arsenal downing Manchester United.
Whereas United acquired 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 aspect. The Gunners accomplished their first double over Man Utd since 2006/07 and toppled Ten Hag’s aspect 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 significantly eager to let their opponents know they have been there. Ultimately, 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 laborious for. The Dane outmuscled younger Arsenal defender Ayden Heaven within the left channel, labored his manner into the field and poked his effort past Karl Hein at hand United an early lead.
Hojlund’s pleasure was short-lived, nevertheless, as six minutes later he was compelled off by means of harm. The striker is suspected to have sustained a hamstring harm which may preserve him out for a while relying on the severity.
United have 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 difficulty. Ten Hag has been bolstered by the return of Harry Maguire at centre-back, however Lisandro Martinez is presently having fun with an prolonged break following his Copa America exploits.
Whereas there’s hope Yoro hasn’t sustained a serious difficulty, lacking any size of time at this very early stage of his United profession wouldn’t be excellent.
Having loved a coming-of-age marketing campaign in 2022/23, Martinelli endured a down yr final season and is determined to bounce again in 2024/25.
There have been mitigating elements in Martinelli’s downturn final day trip, together with a much less cohesive left-hand aspect and a foot harm which noticed him miss a lot of the run-in. Arsenal as a substitute leant on Leandro Trossard and his clutch gene over the last couple of months of the season, however Arteta might be nicely 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 definitely appeared spritely throughout his substitute look in Inglewood.
Dogged and decided down the left flank in trademark Martinelli vogue, it was the Brazilian who received 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 gifted graduates transferring on or enduring sub-par mortgage spells.
The reality is it is going to take a particular expertise to interrupt into this Arsenal group given the present stage of the Mikel Arteta challenge.
17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri could nicely 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 group have come few and much between, however his work up to now this summer time suggests he is prepared for the large leap.
Diminutive however sturdy and wily, Nwaneri is an explosive playmaker who will wrestle to get overwhelmed bodily. He is acquired a powerful 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 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 shiny 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 must be the yr [for Amad to step up],” Ten Hag mentioned after United’s win in Edinburgh. Amad was picked forward of Antony for Saturday’s pleasant in opposition to Arsenal and it appears the Brazilian has a giant battle on his fingers 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 aspect. Rashford’s efficiency on Saturday supplied room for optimism following a poor 2023/24.
Amad was not at his finest on this encounter, being changed by Antony on the break, however the Brazilian was sometimes ineffective. There’s simply no manner United can endure one other season with Antony taking part in greater than a bit-part position.
In Amad, Sancho, Rashford and Garnacho, United’s extensive choices ought to excite supporters.
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