Gyokeres and Zubimendi debut in Arsenal opener

Arsenal name five new signings in the matchday squad for a season opener at Old Trafford.

Gyokeres and Zubimendi debut in Arsenal opener

Arsenal name Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi in the starting lineup for their Premier League opener at Old Trafford. Gyokeres starts up front with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, while Zubimendi lines up in midfield alongside Declan Rice and captain Martin Odegaard. David Raya starts in goal behind a back four of Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori. On the bench are several potential debutants, including Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cristhian Mosquera and Noni Madueke, with Christian Norgaard not in the squad.

Manchester United line up their own new arrivals: Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo start, Benjamin Sesko is among the subs, and Altay Bayindir is between the posts as starter if Onana cannot play due to injury. Former Gunner Ayden Heaven also features among the substitutes.

Arsenal are signaling a shift this season by pairing Gyokeres with Zubimendi in a bid to add pace up front and control in midfield. Raya’s presence gives the team a calm, vocal guide for a defense that includes newer faces at full-back and center-back. United’s decision to start Cunha and Mbeumo suggests they want pace and goal threat from the outset, even as Sesko waits for minutes. If the opening duel at Old Trafford tilts in Arsenal’s favor, the moment could set a new tone for the club’s summer investments.

The lineup also tests depth. Five new signings named in the squad show Arteta is not waiting for one plan to click, but rather building a flexible spine. Early performance will shape how the squad rotates in a busy first block of the season and signal whether the club’s window has delivered the balance it sought.

Highlights

The opening day offers a test of how far this new look can carry Arsenal into the season.