Manchester United vs Arsenal result: Five things we learned as Paul Pogba suffers unhappy return in home defeat

A deserved victory for the visitors

For Arsenal, this was a thoroughly deserved win, while Manchester United missed the chance to prove that they are better than they have shown in recent weeks.

United had their moments here, but Arsenal looked a more confident and capable outfit, exerting control on the fixture for long periods and making life uncomfortable for the hosts when the Red Devils were on the ball.

Mikel Arteta’s side were able to flatten the curve after back-to-back league losses, but there’s less to congratulate United on.

Arsenal eager to respond 

Arsenal have looked a different side under Arteta, particularly since those final games of their FA Cup-winning campaign last season. Physically they have been sturdier and mentally they seem more resilient, yet their attacking play hasn’t suffered significantly.

With back-to-back defeats in their last two league games, however, it appeared that the Gunners might be regressing in a small way.

But – regardless of the result against United – it was encouraging that the north London side played as impressively at Old Trafford as they did. They pressed intensely from the opening whistle and gave the hosts little time or space to settle, with Willian, Mohamed Elneny, Thomas Partey and Bukayo Saka crucial to the gameplan.

Arsenal rarely lack motivation for ties with United, and they certainly brought the right attitude and approach to Manchester for this one.

Pogba comes in from the cold

Paul Pogba started for United in the top flight for the first time since the 6-1 defeat by Tottenham in what was the biggest news item before kick-off.

All eyes were on the World Cup winner at Old Trafford, and it ended up being a bit of a classic 'United Pogba’ performance from the Frenchman – that is to say, fairly muted. Or, it was, until he naively gave away a penalty by fouling Hector Bellerin in a key moment in the second half.

The expectation for Pogba to single-handedly determine the outcome of a game is a somewhat unfair one, but he did it here. Just in the wrong way. 

Van de Beek still out in the cold

Pogba’s inclusion, it could be argued, came at the expense of Donny van de Beek. 

Of course, Van de Beek has not had enough game time for United to establish his best position in the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s midfield, but it felt as though the Dutchman’s absence was related to Pogba’s presence.

Who knows whether the former Ajax man would have drastically altered United’s fortunes and been able to break down the opposition had he started, but at some point we’ll have to find out, surely? When Nemanja Matic replaced McTominay shortly after the hour mark, Solskjaer seemingly further revealed his apathy towards Van de Beek. Sure, that was a like-for-like change, but a brave move would have involved the new signing.

The Dutchman did come on for Bruno Fernandes later in the half, but by then his team had already fallen behind and his task was greater.

Partey at home, even away

Yes, another point around a midfielder, but it’s worth making: Thomas Partey already looks so comfortable and confident at Arsenal.

The Ghana international has impressed in each of his outings since joining the Gunners, and his role in Arsenal’s early pressing success did not go unnoticed at Old Trafford.

But it wasn’t just his work-rate and discipline that stood out; in one eye-catching moment in the first half, the midfielder surged forward and pulled off a sly nutmeg as he bore down on the United box.

As Arsenal continue their evolution under Arteta, Partey will no doubt be a key figure.

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