Pep Guardiola has dismissed the idea that Arsenal would be undeserving Premier League champions because of the volume of goals they score from set pieces, while stressing that he is pleased with Manchester City’s own attacking variety.
The Manchester City manager was responding to recent discussion around Arsenal’s success from dead-ball situations under Mikel Arteta. Some observers have suggested that a heavy reliance on corners and free kicks might somehow diminish the value of any potential league title. Guardiola firmly rejected that notion, pointing out that all types of goals count the same on the scoreboard and that mastering set pieces is a legitimate and important part of the modern game.
Guardiola noted that teams invest significant time and staff resources into improving their effectiveness at corners, wide free kicks, and other rehearsed situations. He indicated that turning those routines into regular goals is a sign of quality coaching, planning, and concentration, not a shortcut to success. In his view, a title won with a strong contribution from set pieces would be as valid as one built primarily on open-play scoring.
While defending Arsenal’s approach, Guardiola also highlighted his satisfaction that Manchester City can threaten opponents in multiple ways. He referenced City’s ability to create chances through sustained possession, quick combinations, transitions, and, when required, from their own set-piece situations. That range of attacking solutions, he suggested, is valuable over the course of a long Premier League season in which opponents adapt and adjust.
Guardiola and Arteta know each other well from Arteta’s time as Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City, and there has been growing focus on how Arsenal have evolved under the Spaniard’s leadership. Their improvement in both defensive and attacking set pieces has been a notable feature of their recent rise in the league table.
Guardiola’s comments place emphasis on respecting different tactical routes to success, underlining that a team’s proficiency in any legal, sporting aspect of the game – including set pieces – is a legitimate foundation for winning the Premier League title.
