Wubi News

Arteta rues 'small margins' but how reliant are Arsenal on set-pieces?

2024-12-09 05:00:12
Arsenal are six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may have laughed off comparisons with Stoke City earlier this week but the Gunners once again had set-piece coach Nicolas Jover to thank following their draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage.

William Saliba scored the visitors' equaliser with a tap-in six minutes into the second half, after a routine that saw Kai Havertz nod Declan Rice's corner into the Frenchman's path.

It was another in a long line of brilliant set-piece plays crafted by Jover, who has transformed the club's success in this area of the game since joining from Manchester City in 2021.

The Gunners dominated the remainder of the game and thought they had found a winner when Bukayo Saka headed in two minutes from time, only for the goal to be ruled out following a video assistant referee review which found Gabriel Martinelli was offside in the build-up.

"I am gutted that we didn't win it," said Arteta.

"We fully deserved to win it. We did almost everything that we had to do to win it. But for millimetres we could have been here with a really dominant win."

The result leaves Arsenal six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, having played one game more.