MANCHESTER, England (BN24) — Arsenal opened its Premier League campaign with a statement victory, defeating Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday, while Chelsea was frustrated in a goalless draw against Crystal Palace.
Defender Riccardo Calafiori scored the decisive goal in the 13th minute, nodding in from close range after United goalkeeper Altay Bayındır misjudged a corner delivered by Declan Rice. The set-piece strike underscored Arsenal’s continued dominance in dead-ball situations, with Mikel Arteta’s team now netting 31 goals from corners since the start of the 2023-24 season — more than any other club, according to Opta.
The result kept Arsenal on pace with fellow title contenders Liverpool and Manchester City, who also opened the season with victories. For United, the loss extended a pattern of early struggles under manager Ruben Amorim, despite a £200 million summer outlay on attacking reinforcements including Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.
Though United played with intensity, Arsenal’s defense, anchored by goalkeeper David Raya, held firm. “We know we could have lost the game but football is like this,” Raya said. “Days like this are when the three points count.”
United captain Bruno Fernandes pointed to signs of progress despite the defeat. “For me, there was more sign of hope than what we got from the game,” he said.
Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres made his first competitive start for Arsenal but was substituted in the 60th minute after a subdued performance. Still, Arteta’s side capitalized once more on set pieces to secure three vital points.
Chelsea Stalled by Palace
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea was unable to break down Crystal Palace in a 0-0 draw that marked the Blues’ first competitive match since being crowned Club World Cup champions last month.
Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze, heavily linked with a move to Tottenham, nearly opened the scoring with a free kick in the 13th minute, but the goal was disallowed after VAR confirmed Palace captain Marc Guehi infringed on Chelsea’s defensive wall.
Chelsea, whose preseason was shortened by its U.S. tour, lacked sharpness as Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer delivered quiet performances. Palace, in contrast, showed signs of rhythm after a longer buildup and a Community Shield win over Liverpool.
Wood Fires Forest Past Brentford
Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest began the season with a 3-1 win over Brentford, powered by a first-half double from Chris Wood and a debut goal by Dan Ndoye. Igor Thiago converted a late penalty for Brentford, which could face a difficult campaign after selling Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United and being without Yoane Wissa, linked with a move to Newcastle.
League Pays Tribute
All Premier League matches Sunday began with a moment of silence to honor brothers Diogo Jota and Andre Silva, who were killed in a car crash in Spain last month. Jota was a Liverpool player at the time of his death.
