Mikel Arteta Arsenal Set-Piece Potency Returns After Everton Win 2026

Key Points

• Mikel Arteta said he is confident Arsenal will recover their set-piece effectiveness after Ezri Konsa netted the first set-piece goal for the club this season.
• Arsenal triumphed against Everton 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, 24 October 2026, with Konsa getting their first goal in the seventh minute and Gabriel netting their second goal.
• Konsa’s goal resulted from Martin Odegaard’s corner, and it was his first goal for Arsenal since he joined the club from Aston Villa.
• In the second half, Gabriel netted from Ben White’s cross in the 50th minute during his 200th Premier League appearance.
• Before the goal by Konsa, Arsenal hadn’t scored from a set piece in eight Premier League games this season.
• Last season, Arsenal got 29 goals from corners, free kicks, and penalties that helped them clinch the Premier League title.
• This result saw Arsenal level on 21 points with Manchester City, who lost 2-1 to Aston Villa earlier on Saturday.
• Arteta added that Arsenal had several chances of scoring from a set piece before the game against Everton, including chances during their Champions League draw at Bayern Munich.

Everton (Liverpool standard) October 25, 2026 – Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal’s return to scoring from set pieces can restore the confidence and attacking variety that helped them win the Premier League title last season, after Ezri Konsa and Gabriel secured a 2-0 victory over Everton at the Emirates Stadium.

As reported by the Press Association, Konsa’s scrambled seventh-minute opener against Everton was the first time the reigning champions had scored from a set play in eight top-flight matches this campaign. Arsenal had built a reputation as set-piece specialists last term, scoring 29 times from corners, free-kicks and penalties as they won the title.

Arteta said the goal should “unlock something” for his players and reinforce their belief in the work carried out by set-piece coach Nico Jover.

“I’m sure that’s going to unlock something and that belief of the players,” Arteta said, as reported by the Press Association. “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 does as well,” he added.

How did Arsenal end their set-piece drought?

Arsenal’s breakthrough arrived after sustained early pressure under heavy rain in north London. According to The Athletic, Arsenal won three consecutive corners at the start of the match, with the second causing problems for Everton’s defence.

Martin Odegaard delivered from the right, Gabriel flicked the ball on at the near post, and Konsa stabbed home following a scramble in the Everton area. The Press Association described the goal as a “scrambled” seventh-minute opener, while ESPN reported that Konsa scored from close range after Gabriel’s header took a deflection and was touched on to the crossbar by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

The goal was Konsa’s first for Arsenal since his summer move from Aston Villa. Speaking to the Premier League, Konsa said set-piece coach Nicolas Jover had told him before the match that he had been waiting for the defender to score.

“I have been waiting to score my first goal for a while,” Konsa said, as quoted by the Premier League. “I spoke to the set-piece coach before the game and he told me he’s been waiting for my goal as well. We felt as players that it was coming, and today was the day.”

AFP reported that the goal was Arsenal’s first non-penalty set-piece goal in all competitions this season. Reuters described it as Arsenal’s first set-piece goal since May.

What did Mikel Arteta say about Arsenal’s set pieces?

Arteta acknowledged that Arsenal had been disappointed not to convert earlier chances from dead-ball situations. As reported by the Press Association, he said the team had generated numerous opportunities but had not scored from a set piece before facing Everton.

“We hadn’t scored from a set-piece, which we were disappointed with because we had generated so many chances as well,” Arteta said.

He also referred to Arsenal’s midweek Champions League match against Bayern Munich, saying the Gunners should have scored at least twice from such situations in Munich.

“I think in midweek we should have scored at least two in Munich and we didn’t and that would probably win us the game,” Arteta said, according to the Press Association.

The Arsenal manager said the club wanted to be strong in every phase of play.

“We know that in every phase of play we want to be the best and we’re not going to stop until we do it,” he said.

The BBC reported Arteta as saying: “I hope people are enjoying this now! Previously, we were criticised for not scoring from set plays, and now we have.”

He added, according to the BBC: “I’m always thrilled when the team discovers various methods to break down the opposition and generate challenges.”

How did Arsenal beat Everton?

Gabriel doubled Arsenal’s lead midway through the second half, heading home a Ben White cross to seal the club’s seventh win in eight Premier League games. Reuters reported that Gabriel rose at the back post to meet White’s floated cross.

The goal carried personal significance for the Brazilian defender. ESPN reported that Gabriel scored on his 200th Premier League appearance, while AFP reported that White was marking his 200th Arsenal appearance with the assist.

Arteta praised Gabriel’s response after the defender appeared to sustain a concern shortly before scoring. Reuters quoted the Arsenal manager as saying Gabriel’s willingness to continue and score reflected his character.

“Gabi was unbelievable, the action that leads to the possible injury and then the way he overcomes that situation with his willingness to go again and to score that goal,” Arteta said, as reported by Reuters.

The Premier League reported that Arteta did not specify the issue affecting Gabriel, but said the defender “seems fine”.

Where do Arsenal stand in the Premier League?

Arsenal moved level on 21 points with Premier League leaders Manchester City after City suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 2-1 at Aston Villa in Saturday’s early kick-off.

The Gunners sit second on goal difference. AFP reported that Arsenal capitalised on City’s defeat to erase a three-point gap, with the result moving Arteta’s side level with the leaders after eight matches.

Arteta said Arsenal should focus on their own results rather than those of rivals.

“We have to just focus on what we can do and we are very pleased with 90 per cent of the results and performances that we have apart from the Brighton game,” he said, as reported by the Press Association.

Arsenal lost 3-0 at Brighton last month.

What challenges did Arsenal overcome during the week?

Arteta described the week as demanding, with Arsenal beginning it with a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest last Sunday before drawing 2-2 away to Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek.

The Everton victory followed that sequence and gave Arsenal two wins and a draw across the week.

“Yes, we’re very happy with the victory, with the performance and with the week, because we were given a terrible schedule,” Arteta said, according to the Press Association.

“We have overcome every hurdle, on top of some injuries, and I love the mentality of the team and the quality that we’ve shown,”

he added.

AFP reported that Arteta was forced to change his side after Bukayo Saka suffered a muscle injury in the draw at Bayern Munich, with Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze selected as the wide players against Everton.

What comes next for Arsenal?

Arsenal’s fixture list remains congested. The Press Association reported that the Gunners will travel to League Two side Fleetwood for a Carabao Cup fourth-round tie on Tuesday evening, before visiting Liverpool in the Premier League next Sunday.

ESPN reported that Arsenal recorded 20 shots and 12 corners against Everton, while performing above an expected-goals figure of 1.77. The Premier League noted that Arsenal combined a set-piece goal with a clean sheet to secure three points.

Background of the development

Arsenal entered the 2026-27 season with a strong recent identity as a set-piece team. Last season, they scored 29 goals from corners, free-kicks and penalties on the way to winning the Premier League title, according to the Press Association.

The Premier League reported that Arsenal broke the record for goals from corners in a single Premier League season, scoring 19, and became the first champions to score 24 set-piece goals. The Athletic reported that, excluding penalties, Arsenal scored 25 goals from set pieces during their title-winning campaign.

That threat had not produced a goal in the current campaign before the Everton match. Reuters reported that Konsa’s goal ended a run of 13 matches across all competitions without a non-penalty set-piece goal, while the Press Association said it was Arsenal’s first from a set play in eight top-flight games this season.

Konsa joined Arsenal from Aston Villa in the summer and had not previously scored for the club. Gabriel, meanwhile, reached 200 Premier League appearances with the match against Everton.

Prediction: What does this mean for Arsenal fans?

For Arsenal supporters, the return of a set-piece goal may reduce concern that the team has lost one of its most reliable routes to goal. Arteta’s comments suggest the club regards the drought as temporary rather than a structural decline, pointing to the number of chances created before Konsa scored.

If Arsenal continue to create high-quality deliveries from Odegaard and other wide players, Konsa and Gabriel are likely to remain important targets in opposition boxes. The Athletic reported that Arsenal’s set pieces caused problems for Bayern Munich in midweek before proving decisive against Everton.

For Everton and Arsenal’s upcoming opponents, the result may increase the emphasis placed on defending corners, free-kicks and long throws. The Premier League described Arsenal’s approach against Everton as a return to a familiar title-winning formula, combining a set-piece goal with a clean sheet.

For neutral followers of the title race, Arsenal’s ability to move level with Manchester City after eight matches suggests the competition at the top remains close. Arsenal’s next league test at Liverpool will provide a further indication of whether the restored set-piece threat can contribute against elite opposition.