Arteta encouraged as Arsenal rediscover set-piece threat

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes his side’s first Premier League set-piece goal of the season can restore the confidence that made them so dangerous from dead-ball situations last term.

The Gunners ended their wait in the seventh minute of Saturday’s 2-0 win over Everton, when Ezri Konsa turned in a corner delivered by Martin Odegaard. The scrappy finish was Konsa’s first goal for the club and Arsenal’s first league goal from a corner, free-kick or penalty this campaign.

Arsenal scored 29 goals from set pieces during their title-winning campaign last season, helping establish them as one of the league’s most effective sides in those situations. Arteta now believes they can reach similar levels of production again.

Gabriel added a second after the interval, heading in a cross from Ben White to secure all three points and extend Arsenal’s excellent start to the campaign.

The north London club have won seven of their opening eight league matches. Their latest victory also followed a 2-2 draw away to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and came on a day when Manchester City suffered their first defeat of the season.

City, the reigning champions, were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa in Saturday’s lunchtime fixture. Arsenal are level with City on 21 points at the top of the table but sit second because of their inferior goal difference.

Arteta said the return of a set-piece goal could provide a significant psychological lift for his players.

“I’m sure that’s going to unlock something and that belief of the players,” he said. “So they are really convinced.

“You have to see them when we train the level of attention and how much they believe in what we do and what Nico [Jover, set-piece coach] does as well.

“There’s no question about that, but at the end he has to come through and he has to make the difference and we know that that is a massive welcome for us.”

The Arsenal manager also praised the focus shown during training and the players’ faith in the work overseen by Jover. He said the quality and commitment had been evident before the breakthrough finally arrived in a competitive match.

The result keeps Arsenal firmly in contention at the top of the Premier League, with their goal difference the only reason they remain behind Manchester City despite having the same points total.