Arsenal delivered a commanding performance against Manchester United, showcasing their set-piece prowess in a 2-0 victory that handed Ruben Amorim his first loss since taking charge of the club. The Gunners closed the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool, who were held to a 3-3 draw at Newcastle, reducing the deficit to seven points. Goals from Jurrien Timber and William Saliba, both from corners, secured Arsenal’s fourth straight win.

Arsenal’s dominance in set-pieces has been remarkable, with 22 goals scored from dead-ball situations since the start of last season, the highest in the Premier League. Declan Rice, who took the corner for Timber’s opener, praised the team’s preparation and repetition. “When you go up for a corner, it’s a chance to score a goal, so to score both of them from corners, Nico [Jover, set-piece coach] will be buzzing and I’m so happy,” Rice said. “Seeing clips, I know the weight I need to put on the ball and it’s just about repetition. I put a few good balls in and could’ve had a couple of assists, so it was nice to get one.”

After a frustrating four-game winless streak in the league, Arsenal have now secured three consecutive victories, putting them back on track for a strong push in the Premier League.

+3View gallery

Declan Rice has revealed his secret to Arsenal’s dead ball success after they scored from two more corners on Wednesday

+3View gallery

The Gunners have now scored 22 goals from dead balls since the start of lasts season

+3View gallery

Man United boss Ruben Amorim called for his side to be more aggressive at set-pieces‘When you have a blip in the league you get written off,’ added Rice.

Ruben Amorim reflected on his team’s recent performances, acknowledging the need for improvement while emphasizing the importance of sticking together as a unit. He noted, “We stick together as a group and we knew the run of results were not good enough, now we’re starting to see a turn of that.” He further pointed out the need for perspective, saying, “People get carried away. You just need to be around it in February time. Liverpool have dropped points, they’re seven away so we will see what happens.”

Arsenal’s head coach, Mikel Arteta, expressed satisfaction with his team’s approach, saying, “We want to be effective from every phase of play – but the team has that belief from every angle to threaten the opponent and try to score.” Arteta also celebrated his 100th game at the Emirates, adding, “It’s a very special night, I’m very happy – celebrating 100 games in this incredible stadium. And the way we played…”

On his team’s issues with set-pieces, Amorim admitted, “The set pieces changed the game. We could’ve been more aggressive towards the Arsenal box. Until the set pieces, the game didn’t have too many opportunities for both sides, the set pieces killed the game.” He acknowledged that defending set-pieces was a challenge, stating, “They can put a lot of players near the goalkeeper and it’s almost impossible to fight for the ball, but we have to manage to defend them and we already know we have to be better.”

Amorim also stressed the importance of improving in all areas, saying, “We were committed and we lost to the set pieces. We have to be better on that situation, but like every area, we need time to improve. We have to manage the games with a different methodology.”