Man Utd 2-0 Arsenal – 3 talking points as Gunners fall to United

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<p>&mdash; Arsenal (@Arsenal) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/07/23/man-utd-arsenal-talking-points/2/"https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1682888654711144449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>July 22, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/07/23/man-utd-arsenal-talking-points/2/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div> <p>Overall, the squad will be better for the run, and there will be plenty for <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/07/23/man-utd-arsenal-talking-points/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/07/23/man-utd-2-0-arsenal-player-ratings/">Mikel Arteta to take away from the game</a>.</p> <p>The match provided plenty of talking points; here they are.</p> <h2>Mistakes prove costly</h2> <p>It is only preseason, so there&#8217;s nothing to really get upset about, but two mistakes in the first half led to United goals. While Ramsdale&#8217;s was rather tricky as Fernandes&#8217; shot bounced in front of him, he still would have liked to do better.</p> <p>Then Gabriel&#8217;s miskick on halfway went completely wrong and allowed Sancho in, and he finished well. Both could have been avoided, but it is what preseason is about.</p> <p>https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/1682870349422100480?s=20</p> <p>Better to have them happen now than in the regular season, but those two mistakes that led to goals were the difference in the game.</p> <p><em>Continued on next slide&#8230;</em></p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/07/23/man-utd-arsenal-talking-points/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span>&nbsp;Talking Point #2 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_135457" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-135457 size-full" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/07/23/man-utd-arsenal-talking-points/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1245,w_1600/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1547985269.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1245" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1547985269.jpeg 1600w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1547985269-768x598.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1547985269-1536x1195.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Luke Shaw of Manchester United (R) fights for the ball with Jurrien Timber of Arsenal (L) during the friendly football match between Manchester United and Arsenal at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 22, 2023. (Photo by Leonardo Munoz / AFP) (Photo by LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>More minutes for Rice and Timber</h2> <p>The duo were handed their first starts for the club, and while neither set the game alight, we saw glimpses of what they could bring.</p> <p>Rice shielded the back four and was progressive with his passes, while Timber roamed about and was an outlet going forward.</p> <p>It will take time for both to get acclimated to Arteta’s system, and they will be better for the run.</p> <p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/07/23/man-utd-arsenal-talking-points/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Talking Point #3 </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_135458" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-135458 size-full" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/07/23/man-utd-arsenal-talking-points/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1706,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1547970131-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1706" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1547970131-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1547970131-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1547970131-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1547970131-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:2560px;">Kobbie Mainoo (C) and Bruno Fernades (8) of Manchester United fight for the ball with Kai Havertz (L) of Arsenal during the friendly football match between Manchester United and Arsenal at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 22, 2023. (Photo by Leonardo Munoz / AFP) (Photo by LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h2>Kai Havertz will be a slow burn</h2> <p>Again, the German didn’t do himself any favors against United, and while his goal against the All-Stars was well taken, overall, he didn’t have much impact at all in his two games.</p> <p>Now it is only preseason, so we are holding fire on him, but we have to remember it will be a teething process for the German.</p> <p>With three games to go before the season opener, hopefully, we see him get integrated more into the team and produce some better performances.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">