Manchester United have not managed to get the best out of this week either. Last week, they managed to beat Paris Saint-Germain, but then drew against Chelsea in Premier League. This week, it seemed things could get even better than that, after a 5-0 beating of RB Leipzig in Champions League, but the clash against Arsenal was not good – the Gunners prevailed 1-0.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the only goal from the spot, after Paul Pogba fouled Hector Bellerin in his own box. That was enough for Mikel Arteta’s side to secure the win, important one for the Gunners, following two consecutive losses in the league. Here is what we learned from this match.
Arsenal Deserved To Win
Looking from the outside in, Arsenal won just 1-0 after a penalty, but from the inside, the story is different. Arsenal deserved to beat Manchester United in what was a game in which they could have scored more than one goal from open play only. In the end, it turned out the penalty was enough for them, after spoiling some good opportunities throughout the match. They will not be too dissatisfied by that, while Manchester United definitely will. This was yet another poor performance for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his team.
Pogba Comes Back Into The Team But Does Not Do Much Good
The Devils were really hopeful going into this match, after that RB Leipzig thrashing. Paul Pogba had done very well in that game as the left central midfielder of a midfield diamond and Solskjaer opted for that system once more. But this time it was far from working. Pogba returned to the starting lineup in the league for the first time since that 6-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur and once again it was more of a typical performance from him. Pogba was far from imposing, unable to do much in attack, the game mostly passing him by. Until he decided it with the penalty he gave to Arsenal.
Partey Shows Good Recruitment Pays Off
Thomas Partey was the most important signing Arsenal were trying to sign this summer and they somehow managed to pull it off in the dying hours of the transfer window. And the midfielder is already showing how good things can be when you sign a right player, whose qualities are on the verge of being classified as ‘world class’ and when you actually sign a midfielder you need.
While Partey was bossing the game in midfield, Manchester United had Donny van de Beek on the bench, their only midfield signing this summer, a player who seems like someone Solskjaer did not need, at least that seems to be the case considering the manager is almost refusing to use him at all.
Man United Keep Disappointing At Old Trafford
Manchester United are still without a Premier League win at Old Trafford this season. And that is far from coincidence. Once again the Devils were disappointing, disorganised and uninspiring, bereft of ideas going forwards. All of that came after heavy defeats against Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur and we are already in November. Problems keep repeating themselves…