Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim says Arsenal defeat 'hard to accept' after contentious Riccardo Calafiori goal
Updated 17/08/2025 at 21:57 GMT+1
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said it is "hard to accept" his side's season-opening 1-0 defeat against Arsenal, and felt goalkeeper Altay Bayindir was fouled for the only goal of the game. The Old Trafford crowd was frustrated by a defensively resolute Arsenal display, as they held off wave after wave of United pressure after taking the lead through Riccardo Calafiori in the 13th minute.
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Ruben Amorim urged Manchester United to be "stronger" as a contentious goal saw his side fall to a 1-0 defeat against Arsenal, a result he found "hard to accept".
Riccardo Calafiori netted the game's only goal on 13 minutes, nodding home after Altay Bayindir helped an in-swinging corner onto the Italian's head while being crowded out by a sea of Arsenal bodies.
Despite swathes of United pressure, Amorim's side could not find a breakthrough. Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya was kept busy, with a particularly strong stop to deny Matheus Cunha in the first half.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, United boss Amorim expressed his disappointment at the manner of defeat and felt Arsenal's attacking players on the corner were "protected" by referee Simon Hooper.
On the goal, Amorim commented: "More or less the same that happened last year. It's not playing the ball. It's protecting the guys that are attacking. I understand we want goals but when you are touching the goalkeeper that way, I think it's a foul. Especially to lose with a goal like this.
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"It's hard to be strong when you have to push and go for the ball. Sometimes you are pushing and you don't have more hands to go for the ball.
"We need to be stronger in that moment. We need to do the same thing on the other side. We are not changing the rules, we have to adapt to the rules. Today it's hard to accept because I think we are the better team."
Amorim, however, noted plenty of positivity for his side.
United were active in the summer transfer window in their bid to improve upon a record-low Premier League finish last season, and Amorim was pleased with the impact of new signings Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in the final third.
"I'm really proud of the guys," Amorim said. "They were really brave in everything they did during the game. We deserved a different result and we need to move forward to the next one.
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"We were more aggressive than last year. We were more brave. We went one against one all the game and we pressed high. We had quality with the ball. Even when the stadium made some sounds, we continued to play the way we play. We lost fewer balls in the build-up compared to last year.
"The most important thing, we were not boring."
On Cunha and Mbeumo specifically, Amorim added: "You always feel in the game they can do something not just with the ball but without the ball. I am proud of the game we played. We lost and need to work on different things."
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, described the victory as "massive" and said any sense of disappointment over a victory at Old Trafford shows how far the team have come under his guidance.
"I look at the players' faces and they want much more," Arteta said. "We know that we are much better than certain moments we played. I think before I came here it was 18 or 20 years since we won at Old Trafford but now we come here and win many times and still unsatisfied."
'In the Premier League they don't give much'
United captain Bruno Fernandes also took issue with the decisive goal, and felt Bayindir was impeded en route to helping the ball into the net.
The Portugal international added he felt there should be communication between official and players over just what constitutes a foul in such situations.
"When you touch the goalkeeper and he can't jump, that makes it difficult for Bayindir," Fernandes said. "We know in the Premier League they don't give much.Â
"Even if they had a meeting with us saying that they will whistle more if players block and don't look at the ball but it is more of a saying."
Raya, at the other end, was sturdy for Arteta's side. He was certainly the busier of the two goalkeepers throughout the match, but a combination of some smart goalkeeping and last-ditch Arsenal blocks earned a valuable clean sheet. The Spaniard admitted his side were not at their best in all departments.
He said: "I think when the quality wasn’t there, we weren’t on our best day with the ball. Defensively we weren’t at our best so that was our fight. We got a goal in the first half with a corner and from there we just fought. Credit to the boys that in the end we kept a clean sheet.
"We could’ve lost the game but football is like this and days like this, that’s when the three points count."
United next face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, while Arsenal host newcomers Leeds United on Saturday.
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