MANCHESTER UNITED have splashed the cash this summer but that couldn’t prevent an opening day home loss to Arsenal.
Here are SunSport’s key takeaways from the narrow 1-0 defeat vs the Gunners.
No 1 ISSUE
UNITED have been linked with Gianluigi Donnarumma and David de Gea in recent weeks, and surely they will sign a keeper before the window shuts.
Ruben Amorim has faith in Andre Onana — even if a lot of the fans do not — but he did not consider him ready to start here.
The Cameroonian has missed the whole of pre-season with a hamstring injury. So Altay Bayindir, who has played throughout the build-up to the season, got the nod — and ended up costing his team the game.
He should have been stronger under pressure from William Saliba and flapped a corner on to the head of Riccardo Calafiori.
Bayindir has had problems with set-pieces before.
Amorim and sporting director Jason Wilcox have two weeks to come up with a solution before the end of the transfer window.
There was no foul for Arsenal’s goal – the keeper must be stronger, says Mark Halsey
RUBEN AMORIM felt Riccardo Calafiori’s first-half winner for Arsenal was a foul on his keeper Altay Bayindir but I have to disagree, write ex-Prem referee Mark Halsey.
It was a perfectly good goal.
Bayindir has got to be a lot stronger in those situations.
He has got to come out and punch the ball.
There was no foul from Gunners defender William Saliba. It was normal contact.
We see it go on all the time in the penalty area.
No foul at all on Bayindir. There has to be clear contact or a clear blocking move from an Arsenal player to constitute a foul in those situations.
The referee and VAR got it spot on.
It wasn’t a foul and the goalkeeper has simply got to be stronger.
NO GOALS — AGAIN
UNITED mustered just 44 goals in the Prem last season — and here they were starting with a blank again.
The Red Devils have spent £200million sprucing up their forward line this summer, and there were encouraging signs from Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
But new £74m centre-forward Benjamin Sesko stayed on the bench until the 65th minute.
On a couple of occasions before then there were crosses into the box but nobody there to put them away.
Amorim said on Friday he believes Sesko can be United’s No 9 for many years to come — and that is why they spent so heavily on him.
So it seemed a strange call to leave him on the bench for so long. Clearly the fans agreed as he was given a huge ovation when he arrived.
A couple of late half-chances went begging but the Slovenian did enough to show he will be a threat.
MIDFIELD STILL AN ISSUE
UNITED have abandoned their bid to land Carlos Baleba at least until next summer because of Brighton’s asking price.
There is an interest in Sporting’s Morten Hjulmand, while United are one of several clubs who admire Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace.
But there is a chance they will not sign another outfield player, and fans will be worried about the options in midfield.
Casemiro was excellent in Europe last season but did not have the same impact in Prem matches, while we are still waiting to see the best of Manuel Ugarte.
United are going to be more exciting to watch this season — that is clear already — but will they still have a soft centre?
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