Arsenal warned over major issues in the title race after opening day win

Arsenal started their 2025/26 Premier League season with a narrow victory against Manchester United, but Roy Keane raised concerns about their finishing.

The Gunners defeated Rúben Amorim’s side 1-0 at Old Trafford, thanks to an early goal from Riccardo Calafiori.

The defender struck in the 13th minute after connecting well with a corner to hand Mikel Arteta’s men the lead.

United attempted to respond with pressure of their own as Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha tried to break through, yet they could not find a goal.

Despite their push, Arsenal held firm and secured the three points.

Keane warns Arsenal on wasteful approach

Speaking on Sky Sports after the match, Roy Keane was full of praise for Arsenal’s ability to grind out a result. However, he stressed that their display in the second half showed signs of carelessness.

“The sign of a really good team is when you’re not at your best and you win football matches. The worry for me in the second half is there were opportunities to really go at Man Utd, but they seemed off it from that point of view,” Keane said.

He added that Arsenal’s inability to push for a second goal mirrored some of their issues from last season.

“But going forward, competing with the likes of Liverpool and Man City, they seem to want to go for that second or third goal, whereas Arsenal are thinking ‘oh we’re 1-0 up, maybe we’ll hold onto it’. That backfired on them last year when they had too many draws. That won’t win you league titles and they have to improve. Arsenal need to be clinical in their play and really go for that second or third goal.”

City and Liverpool comparison

Keane compared the Gunners with title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City. He underlined how both sides usually press for more goals rather than protecting a slim lead. According to him, Arsenal cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes if they are serious about competing.

Arteta’s side will now move on from the victory and prepare for their next Premier League match. Arsenal will face Leeds United on 23 August as they look to continue their push for silverware this season.

The post Arsenal warned over major issues in the title race after opening day win first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.