Arsenal were faster than ever in win at Manchester United, but is new style here to stay or circumstantial?

The 2.02 meters per second they advanced towards goal is 55% quicker than the average of 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25

A key theme of Arsenal's preseason was embracing a more up and down style of football, one tailor made for their marquee new signing Viktor Gyokeres. Where once Mikel Arteta's side would ease their way around the final third in languid fashion, this was the summer of cutting out the middle man. It may yet prove to be a valuable addition to Arsenal's, ermm, arsenal but here was a warning of the risks that come with this change in approach.

Arsenal were quicker than they have been in years, flying into transitions, going for the jugular as they bid to begin their season with that sweetest of triumphs, one gained at Manchester United. That they did rather seemed to be in spite of themselves rather than through anything they got right. Arsenal were clumsy in possession, disorganized in their defensive structure and out of sync in attack. In their three years of contention, you would struggle to find many worse performances.

Fortunately for the visitors, some of their old qualities still remain. When Arsenal are bad, they only need to get one good ball in the mixer. Altay Bayindir flapped, Riccardo Calafiori denied Declan Rice an Olimpico and there was something to defend. That they did, for 80 minutes, in harum-scarum fashion.