Gary Neville shares what’s concerning him about Arsenal after watching Everton loss

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Gary Neville has told The Overlap Fan Debate that Arsenal’s defending of set-pieces is concerning him after watching their loss against Everton.

The Gunners fell to their first defeat in the Premier League since October on Saturday at Goodison Park. The Toffees put in an outstanding performance in what was Sean Dyche’s first game in charge in Merseyside.

Mikel Arteta’s men were undone by a James Tarkowski header as Everton looked threatening from dead-ball situations all afternoon.

Now, Neville has highlighted Arsenal’s defending of set-pieces as something that has left him worried off the back of the loss.

Neville shares what’s worrying him about Arsenal

Speaking on The Overlap, Neville feels other teams may look to exploit set-pieces against the Gunners after they struggled to deal with them on Saturday.

“It did worry me a little bit, your handling of set-pieces, not just that but your handling of crosses into the box,” the Manchester United legend said.

“It worried me a little bit in the sense of how you dealt with them. I think if other clubs, particularly when you go away from home because at home I think you’ll manage teams and keep them away from your goal. Once other teams, analysts and coaches see a potential weakness, you are going to have to nip that in the bud.

“But if you see something like at Goodison Park, you were put under pressure by those crosses that were going in, the chances they had with the headers. Doucoure had one, then Onana had one as well didn’t he? Calvert-Lewin.

“Then there was the goal from the set-piece, you’ll just have to nip that in the bud because if you start conceding from crosses and set-pieces, you’ll have to nip that in the bud in your next away game.”

Apart from Saturday, Mikel Arteta’s men have not struggled to deal with dead-ball situations over the course of the season.

The Gunners boast the second-best defensive record in the league and Saturday’s loss to Everton feels like a one-off more than anything.

Arsenal will have the chance to bounce straight back against Brentford this weekend, another side who excel from set-piece situations.