First defeat for Amorim as his new system was exposed by Arsenal but here are the positives

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim had his first defeat in English football, with a 2-0 loss against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Jurrien Timber and William Saliba contributed the decisive goals from corners, pushing Arsenal up two points on Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Despite the set-piece goals, Amorim is likely to find positives to take back to Manchester during this busy festive period.

Harry Maguire put up a robust performance, winning all of his duels and tackles, and achieving a 96 per cent pass accuracy rate. Tyrell Malacia also notably contained one of Europe's top wingers with support from Noussair Mazraoui on his Premier League return.

Bruno Fernandes, forced to play deeper than usual, seemed lost at times and struggled to find the ball. Striker Mason Mount had a quiet game, with only 15 touches in 60 minutes.

Conversely, Manuel Ugarte won more duels than any other player despite losing seven.

The defeat marked a challenging day for Amorim and his United side, with plenty of work to do in the days ahead.

Despite the loss, there were certainly positives to take away from the match. Amorim's strategy of setting up United to frustrate Arsenal was successful at times in the first half

Their shape was good in the first half at the Emirates, leading to Arsenal making errors. It was evident that Amorim has already stamped his blueprint on the team from the start of his tenure.

However, there were some noticeable weaknesses. United's defence gave way to Arsenal's well-known strength: scoring from corners.

The Gunners were successful in utilising set-pieces to their advantage, creating an intense aerial threat which United could not handle. This was a significant contributor to United's downfall on the night.

On the down side, United's attacking output was lacking. Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, who previously showed great promise, were not able to shine in this match. This is an area that has to be addressed by Amorim in the upcoming matches.

Overall, despite the loss, there were positive aspects in United's game under Amorim's management.

However, the team must work on their defensive strategy, particularly against set-pieces, and improve their attacking prowess to gain confidence for the upcoming games.