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Every word Mikel Arteta said on Arsenal set-pieces, catching Liverpool and Gabriel injury

**Thoughts on the game?**

Very happy. Special night celebrating 500 games at this stadium against an opponent with so much history between the clubs and the teams. The way we played, especially after tweaking a few things in the second half, how dominant we were, how convincing we were, not really conceding apart from the save from David \[Raya\] after a very sloppy throw in.

**How important are set-pieces for you?**

We need that. I think we want to be very dangerous and very effective from every angle and every phase of play. Today we could have scored from open play like we did against West Ham and Sporting. The team really has that belief that from every angle we have the mentality to threaten the opponent and try to score. Today was two set-pieces. We had 13 corners. We have to take a lot from that.

**Do you think about taking points off Liverpool yet?**

We don't think about half-time how we are. We try to look at our own business, try to perform the way we are doing at the moment and find ways to win the game. I think the team deserved the win today which is very good. What the opposition does we cannot control. You can see week in, week out how good the oppositions are; it's difficult for everybody.

**Amorim said Saka and Martinelli go outside to look for corners. Is that true?**

No. We play with inverted wingers. They develop a lot inside so there's not a lot of space inside. When they leave there is a lot of space for the full-back or for the six, if not then for the nine, if not you can go outside. We need to look at every angle. What they do, where they can be weak and where we can exploit the weakness of the opposition.

**Are teams afraid to concede a corner against you?**

I don't know. We work on what we work. Attacking the box in various ways. This a way we attack the box and we are very efficient. We will find ways to keep improving.

**Declan and Bukayo walk quite slowly over to take corners. Is that deliberate?**

No the stadium reacted which is something that we didn't plan. They reacted because they had belief. The same way they react when he have the high press. They know what we can do, which is great. It creates that connection and that belief. It's easier for the players to deliver because that noise creates good things for us and difficult things for the opposition.

**How do you keep evolving at set-pieces?**

Last year we scored the most goals in the history of this football club. Not because of only set-pieces, because of a lot of things that we have. We want to create individual and magic moments. A lot of players can create their own goals. We can create goals from short counters and long counters, slow build ups, restarts and the opportunity to open up the opposition. Every single phase of play let's maximise it, keep working on it, keep improving.

**Are you sending a message to the rest of the league?**

I don't know. We want to have the right to win the games. If we perform the way we're performing right now, we're going to win a lot of games. But right now is about Fulham. We have to go there. We know the experience of last season. We have to prepare really well to earn the right to win there and continue to do that. The rest, we don't know.

**What did you make of how Kiwior stepped up?**

Big credit to Jakub and Alex. It's the first start for Jakub after a long time. You have to be strong against this kind of opposition and front players. The same as Alex and they did magnificently well. Great. We trust them. They prepared so well, they had the opportunity, they grabbed it with both hands, so happy for the team.

**How are Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori?**

Gabi was a big risk to play today because he felt something against West Ham. Sunday he's going to be a possibility. With Ricci as well, let's see how we reacts.

**What do you make of the response to the winless run?**

Yeah, the will to win is there. We try our best to do that. It's true we went through a lot in that period, the schedule and the opposition that we played. A lot of things. and that's it - you have to react. Now we won four in a row. It doesn't matter. We have to go to Fulham now, try to be better than them and try win the game. It's every three days, it's a crazy schedule. We're going to need everybody and mentally be very strong because you're going to go through those moments.

**Does the outside negativity fuel you?**

Me personally np. There's not more fuel than my own one, to have the desire to work as much as I can in the most efficient way to try to win and help these boys to enjoy what they do and give them the chance to win games.

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