Ex-Man Utd star digs out Arsenal over set-pieces with unflattering comparison

Ex-Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has drawn comparisons between Arsenal and an infamous Premier League team of yesteryear following Wednesday night's victory over his old team.

Arsenal were the dominant side at the Emirates Stadium but couldn't find a way through a newly resolute United defence in open play. Both goals in the eventual 2-0 victory came from second-half corners, with the Gunners now up to 22 set-piece goals since the start of last season alone - the highest of any Premier League club over that timeframe.

A large part of it is down to Mikel Arteta hiring dedicated set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.

"The Premier League is probably the only league in the world where you have so many players around the goalkeeper, pushing, shoving, making chaos," Berbatov said during Amazon Prime Video coverage of the game in north London.

"[In other leagues], it is going to be a foul. Not here. You need to be strong, and that's probably why [Amorim] was watching from the side: 'What is going on with my keeper?' You need to work on that.

"As we joke, Arsenal is the new Stoke City, depending on set-pieces to give you the win."

Fellow pundit Roberto Martinez, formerly a Premier League manager with Wigan Athletic and Everton, echoed the Stoke comparison but suggested the onus is on other teams to figure out how to play against Arsenal's set-pieces to eliminate it as a strength.

"We all suffered Stoke, and I think it is a great credit to remember Tony Pulis and the work that he did with the throw-ins. When teams do something exceptionally well, you have to try to find a different way to defend it," Martinez explained.

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