Bukayo Saka says Arsenal did not put in a perfect performance despite a hard-fought 1-0 win over Manchester United in their Premier League opener.
The only goal was scored in the 13th minute by Riccardo Calafiori, taking advantage of a mistake by the Red Devils' backup goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.
However, for most of the match, the London team was inferior to the hosts in the initiative, allowing many losses of possession against the renewed United team, which impressed with its assertiveness, although it was unable to convert its chances.
After three consecutive silver medals in the championship, the Gunners need to show more stable play to fight for the title this season.
“We are not happy with the quality of our game,” Saka said. “But we are happy with the three points and the success on the legendary arena of our opponents.”
“Our level today did not meet the usual requirements – too many simple mistakes in passes, suboptimal decisions. This gave the opponent an advantage, but fortunately did not lead to goals. Such failures must be avoided in the future.”
The match's special plot was the confrontation between the Gunners' new forward Victor Diokeres (transfer value – £55 million) and his former coach Ruben Amorim.
The Swedish forward had a difficult match, rarely joining in attacks and not creating any dangerous moments before being substituted after an hour of play.
“He showed character and fought for the team,” Saka said of the newcomer's performance. “There was a tough fight on the pitch.”
“I think he did a decent job. This experience will be a good basis for progress. I am sure that in the next matches he will show himself more brilliantly, having fully adapted to the team's style.”
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
