Dimitar Berbatov has compared Arsenal to ‘the new Stoke City’ following Mikel Arteta’s team scoring two more goals from set-pieces against Manchester United.
Dimitar Berbatov has humorously dubbed Arsenal as “the new Stoke City” following their impressive 2-0 victory over Manchester United, where they scored twice from corners. The former Manchester United striker made the comment during a live watchalong on Amazon Prime Video, drawing comparisons to Stoke City’s set-piece prowess under Tony Pulis.
In the match, Jurrien Timber and William Saliba both scored from corner kicks, showcasing Arsenal’s effectiveness from set pieces. Since the start of last season, Arsenal has scored 22 goals from set pieces, the highest tally in the Premier League.
Berbatov joked, “Probably the Premier League is the only league in the world where you have so many players around the goalkeeper, pushing, shoving, making chaos. Normally it is going to be a foul. Not here. You need to be strong. And that’s probably why he (Ruben Amorim) was watching from the side, he was like, ‘What is going on with my keeper?’ You need to work on that. As we joke, Arsenal is the new Stoke City, right? Depending on set-pieces, which can give you the win, as it was today.”
Under Tony Pulis, Stoke City was known for their physical approach and set-piece mastery, with Rory Delap’s long throws being a signature weapon. Berbatov’s comment highlights Arsenal’s current reliance on set pieces as a key strategy.
While Berbatov’s comparison is lighthearted, it underscores Arsenal’s impressive ability to capitalize on set pieces. As they continue their title challenge, maintaining this strength will be crucial.
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