Red Devils Rising? Amorim's Optimism After Arsenal Loss

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim remains optimistic about his team's prospects despite a 1-0 loss to Arsenal in the Premier League opener. Get the latest updates on Manchester United's performance and Amorim's plans for the season.

“(The fans) want that feeling again. We go to Old Trafford and we are not going to get bored...”

Manchester United's 1-0 loss to Arsenal in their Premier League opener hasn't dampened the spirits of their manager, Ruben Amorim. Despite the defeat, Amorim exudes confidence, believing his rebuilt team has the potential to beat any team in the league. This optimism is rooted in the team's performance, which showed promise despite ultimately falling short.

Defeat on opening day.

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 17, 2025

Riccardo Calafiori's early corner kick header gave Arsenal the win, with Manchester United's goalkeeper Altay Bayindir's weak challenge contributing to the goal. However, Amorim's positivity stems from the team's display, particularly in moments where they made Arsenal uncomfortable, forcing them to adjust their strategy. This, Amorim believes, is a sign of improvement and a foundation for future success.

“We have players to win any game in the Premier League,” said Amorim, flashing a rare smile after the scowl he wore for most of last season.

💬 "I'm really proud of the players... but it's hard to lose a game like this."

Ruben Amorim's post-match reaction 👇

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 17, 2025

“We were more aggressive than last year. We went one against one all the game and we pressed high. We had quality with the ball.”

New signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo brought much-needed pace and creativity to the team's attack. Cunha, who had three shots on target, was arguably the standout player, making a significant impact in his debut.

“We did a lot things right,” Amorim said. “We were more aggressive and brave. In certain moments I think Bryan and Cunha helped a lot. We stuck to the plan even when the stadium was nervous, we continued to play the way we played and that will help us in the future.

“(The fans) want that feeling again. We go to Old Trafford and we are not going to get bored. We need to win more than last season but they want to see something and feel something.”

Defensively, Manchester United showed improvement compared to last season, but goalkeeper Altay Bayindir's mistake raised concerns about the team's goalkeeping position. The error occurred when Arsenal's William Saliba bumped into Bayindir, who weakly parried the ball with one hand, allowing Riccardo Calafiori to score an easy header.

15 - Ruben Amorim has now lost 15 of his 28 Premier League games (W7 D6) – this is the fastest a manager has reached 15 defeats in the competition, without taking charge of a newly promoted team in that period, since Paul Hart with Portsmouth in 2009 (27 games). Prolonged. pic.twitter.com/hjvJAVCG5M

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 17, 2025

Amorim acknowledged that United needed to match Arsenal's physicality, particularly on set pieces like the corner kick that led to the goal. Despite the loss, Amorim remains optimistic about his team's prospects, believing they can build on the positives from the match.

”If you can watch the goal, I think (players) are allowed to do a lot of things in the corners. We need to do the same,” he said. “But when you touch that way the goalkeeper, he needs to use his hands to catch the ball, not to push players, or he chooses to push players and let the ball past.

“But again, (it) is the rules. If he's allowed, we need to do the same thing.”

Altay Bayindir started in goal ahead of Andre Onana, who had limited training time after recovering from injury. Despite Onana's errors last season, Amorim downplayed the possibility of making significant changes in the goalkeeping position, focusing instead on the team's overall performance and growth.