It was United who started brightest, with Melvine Malard the recipient of a good chance inside the opening minute, but Arsenal would grow into the game, and as their pressing started to trouble the Red Devils, opportunities arose. That said, there was a lack of clear-cut opportunites throughout the 90 minutes and the Gunners didn't test opposing goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce enough, with it often from the edge of the box or an unfavourable angle that the looks at goal came.
Even those half-chances dried up in the second period, despite Slegers being able to throw on the likes of Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead from a star-studded bench. There were positives at the other end of the pitch, though, with United themselves limited to few big moments as 18-year-old Katie Reid continued to look incredibly promising in the heart of defence alongside the experienced Steph Catley, whose fantastic block to deny Malard proved crucial in the end as the Gunners were at least able to keep their first clean sheet of the new campaign.
GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Leigh Sports Village...
