Bruno Guimaraes stepped onto the pitch for the first time in an Arsenal shirt, while youngster Myles Lewis‑Skelly found the net, as the Gunners were held to a 1‑1 draw by Como before edging the encounter 4‑3 in a penalty shoot‑out. The pre‑season friendly at the Emirates Stadium saw the £75 million midfielder, signed from Newcastle United, introduced at the interval following Lewis‑Skelly’s early goal being levelled by Martin Baturina. Lewis‑Skelly’s strike came after he intercepted a wayward pass from Como keeper Jean Butez, cutting the ball back and slotting it past the on‑rushing goalkeeper. The goal arrived amid swirling rumours about the teenager’s future, and he marked the occasion with a heart‑shaped hand gesture, a clear nod to his supporters.
Guimaraes received a rapturous reception from the home crowd when he entered the fray, but despite the enthusiasm he could not deliver a decisive second‑half winner. The match ultimately progressed to a penalty shoot‑out, where the newly‑arrived Brazilian, alongside fellow newcomer Christos Tzolis, stepped up and converted his spot‑kick, helping Arsenal prevail. Mikel Artarta made the surprising decision to leave out returning internationals Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, all of whom had just completed World Cup duties.
Instead, the manager gave early minutes to several teammates from England and Spain, including Eberechi Eze, David Raya, Mikel Merino and Noni Madueke, allowing Artarta to assess the squad’s depth ahead of the upcoming competitive fixtures. Looking ahead, Arsenal will travel to Cardiff for the Community Shield clash with Manchester City on Sunday, before kicking off their Premier League campaign against Coventry City on Friday, August 21, a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Beyond the headline‑making debut and the goal from a player potentially on the way out, the performance of 16‑year‑old Marli Salmon provided another compelling storyline. Salmon, one of two Arsenal teenagers to start alongside Max Dowman, impressed with a composed display at centre‑back.
Partnered at full‑back by 18‑year‑old Theo Julienne, Salmon remained a steady presence even as Artarta made a series of sweeping substitutions that reshaped the defensive line. His calmness earned him a standing ovation from the fans when he was finally substituted in the 88th minute.
Statistically, Salmon’s impact was undeniable. He won nine of his 13 duels – the highest tally of any player on either side – and completed 42 of 43 attempted passes, again the best passing accuracy in the match. These numbers highlighted his confidence, technical ability, and composure both in possession and when defending.
Como’s head coach, former Arsenal academy graduate Cesc Fàbregas, praised the youngster’s performance, stating, "Amazing. That's what it's all about. Hale End does an amazing job," while Artarta echoed the sentiment, calling Salmon "exceptional" and suggesting he could become a reliable defensive option for the first team.
In the post‑match press conference, Artarta spoke about Guimaraes, noting that the Brazilian had only attended three training sessions with the squad but already looked comfortable. "He was really pushing to play some minutes today. I think he wanted to get his debut and feel the atmosphere in front of our fans immediately. You can sense a strong connection that will make us better," Artarta said.
Midfielder Mikel Merino, speaking to Arsenal’s official YouTube channel, reflected on the overall team performance: "I think we dominated. The team showed what it is capable of.
Everyone was at a good level. Honestly, I think we deserved to win; we had massive chances to score. We’ll take the positives into the next game and hopefully dominate every game like we did today." Regarding the forthcoming Community Shield, Merino added, "It’s another final and we want to win, we want to give the fans more happiness.
But especially for us, we want to compete. Wearing this shirt and this badge means a lot and that’s about giving everything and playing to our best capacity." The pre‑season schedule leading up to the friendly against Como has been busy for Artarta’s side. Highlights include a 3‑0 victory over MK Dons on July 25 at the Arsenal training ground, a 4‑1 away win against Girona on August 1, a 3‑1 loss to Real Betis in Dublin on August 5, a 3‑2 defeat at the hands of Borussia Dortmund on August 9, and finally the 1‑1 draw with Como on August 12, which culminated in the penalty shoot‑out triumph.
The next milestone is the Community Shield showdown with Manchester City in Cardiff on August 16 at 3 p.m., a match that will serve as a final rehearsal before the Premier League season officially begins.