Bruno Guimarães stepped onto the pitch for the first time in an Arsenal shirt, while youngster Myles Lewis‑Skelly found the net in a pre‑season friendly that ended 1‑1 against Como before Arsenal clinched victory in a dramatic penalty shoot‑out, 4‑3. The match, played at the Emirates Stadium, provided a platform for several new faces and offered a glimpse of the squad’s evolving dynamics ahead of the upcoming season. Guimarães, the £75 million midfielder signed from Newcastle United, was introduced at the interval. His arrival had been highly anticipated, and the half‑time substitution was met with an enthusiastic reception from the home crowd.
Despite the warm welcome, Arsenal were unable to secure a decisive goal in the second half, and the game progressed to a penalty shoot‑out after regular time finished level. The opening goal came from Lewis‑Skelly, who capitalised on a misplaced pass from Como goalkeeper Jean Butez. After cutting the ball back into the box, the young forward slotted it home, prompting a celebratory heart gesture with his hands – a poignant moment given the ongoing speculation that he could be on his way out of the club.
The goal was later balanced by a strike from Martin Baturina, leaving the score at 1‑1. During the shoot‑out, Guimarães proved his composure by converting his spot‑kick, as did fellow newcomer Christos Tzolis.
Their successful penalties helped Arsenal edge out Como 4‑3 on penalties, providing a morale‑boosting finish to the encounter. Mikel Arteta made several notable selections for the match. He rested key internationals such as Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi, who had just returned from World Cup duties. Instead, Arteta gave opportunities to several players who had featured for England and Spain earlier in the week, including Eberechi Eze, David Raya, Mikel Merino and Noni Madueke.
This approach allowed the manager to assess squad depth and experiment with different combinations before the competitive fixtures begin. Looking ahead, Arsenal’s focus now shifts to the Community Shield, scheduled for Sunday in Cardiff against Manchester City, followed by the Premier League opener against Coventry City on Friday, 21 August, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Beyond the headline‑grabbing debut of Guimarães and the goal from a potentially departing Lewis‑Skelly, the match also highlighted the impressive performance of 16‑year‑old defender Marli Salmon.
Alongside fellow academy graduate Max Dowman, Salmon started at centre‑back, with 18‑year‑old Theo Julienne providing cover at full‑back. Throughout the game, Arteta made several sweeping substitutions, yet Salmon remained a constant presence, displaying composure and consistency that earned him a standing ovation from the fans when he was 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 underscored his confidence, technical ability, and tactical awareness, both in possession and when defending. Como’s head coach, former Arsenal academy star Cesc Fàbregas, praised the youngster’s display, saying, "Amazing.
That's what it's all about. Hale End does an amazing job." Arteta echoed this sentiment, noting that Salmon could become a reliable defensive option for the first team, describing his performance as "exceptional." In the post‑match press conference, Arteta spoke highly of Guimarães, remarking, "He only had three training sessions, but he looked good. 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 already, which will make us better." Midfielder Mikel Merino, speaking to Arsenal’s official YouTube channel, expressed optimism about the squad’s overall display: "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 match like we did today." Regarding the upcoming Community Shield, Arteta 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 has been busy for Arsenal. Highlights include a 3‑0 victory over MK Dons on 25 July, a 4‑1 triumph against Girona on 1 August, a 3‑1 defeat to Real Betis in Dublin on 5 August, a 3‑2 loss to Borussia Dortmund on 9 August, and the 1‑1 draw with Como on 12 August that concluded with the penalty shoot‑out.
All these fixtures have served to fine‑tune tactics, integrate new signings, and assess the readiness of academy prospects ahead of the competitive season. Fans can stay updated on the latest news, video highlights, and in‑depth analysis by following Sky Sports on WhatsApp, or by accessing the Sky Sports app for live streams and Premier League highlights.
For those without a Sky subscription, free Premier League highlight packages are also available, ensuring supporters can keep track of Arsenal’s progress as the club prepares for a promising new campaign.