Arsenal latest: 'Diabolical' Liverpool dig called out as two deals eyed

Premier League pace-setters Arsenal are reacquainting themselves with life at the top. This includes dealing with ongoing debate about how they are achieving their success among England's elite.

Mikel Arteta's team are facing new criticism regarding their style of play, particularly their focus on set-piece goals. Liverpool's Arne Slot is one of those questioning the reliance on dead-ball situations, prompting a former Gunner to defend his old team. On a brighter note, there are whispers of more new contracts on the horizon at the Emirates, while one of Arteta's old adversaries has compared Arsenal to one of his old teams. Express Sport analyses the latest headlines from north London as the Gunners prepare for Saturday's journey to Burnley.

Arne Slot's 'diabolical' jibe

While those at Arsenal will be unconcerned about how their goals are scored, the broader football community is hotly debating the club's success of late. This has led to considerable scrutiny relating to their preference for set-piece tactics.

Coach Nicolas Jover has significantly enhanced this aspect of Arsenal's game, and it doesn't sit well with many in the sport. It seems that even includes Liverpool boss Slot, who appears to have tried to downplay the importance of Arsenal's set-piece threat.

When questioned about his side's vulnerability from set pieces, Slot recently said: "If you'd tell me that we've conceded 40% of our goals from set pieces, and the No. 1 in the league has scored 60% of their goals from set-pieces, and we're still one point behind that team, I would probably think, 'It's not even that bad!'"

The comment seemed to be another subtle jab at Arsenal's set-piece capabilities. The Dutchman had previously highlighted Arsenal's strength in that department last season, telling journalists: "Nine times out of 10, [Arsenal] do the same."

However, former Arsenal player Anders Limpars has taken exception to these comments while defending his former club. And the Swede believes Slot has overstepped the mark with his latest criticism.

"It's just excuses, he can't say that as an opposition manager," he told Hajper. "It doesn't really matter how you win games so long as you win games. Over the long run, you have to play all the best teams. To be criticised for scoring from set pieces or not, it's a diabolical thing to talk about in my opinion.

"Shall we look back at the last four years and look at what City have done or not have done, or what Liverpool have done or not have done? At the end of the day, they've all had scrappy wins for sure here and there. Arne Slot has to cope with losing the last four league games on the trot. It's not normal for them.

"Now suddenly they are having these setbacks and you have to cope with that as a manager, especially at a top club in the Premier League. It's normal business. I hate players who have excuses. I don't like managers having excuses."

Two new contracts targeted

Bukayo Saka's contract extension remains Arsenal's top priority at the Emirates. Yet it has emerged that two additional deals are being fast-tracked by the club following the completion of Saka's negotiations.

The lauded winger's current deal runs until the summer of 2027. Twelve months later, both Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber will see their agreements expire, based on their existing terms.

Rice's contract includes an option for an additional year, which Arsenal are almost certain to activate should circumstances remain unchanged before 2028. Nevertheless, the BBC has revealed Arsenal are determined to prevent both players from approaching the end of their current arrangements.

Director Andrea Berta is taking a leading role in negotiations, having already secured fresh terms for Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri this season. The former Atletico Madrid director will be hoping to replicate his success in order to strengthen Arsenal's core for the foreseeable future.

Stoke comparison 'a compliment'

When it comes to Arsenal's set-piece tactics, it was inevitable that Tony Pulis would enter the fray at some point. The manager who championed the long throw-in at elite level and transformed Rory Delap into a cult hero has drawn parallels between today's Arsenal and his former Stoke City squad.

The 67-year-old Pulis never shied away from his preference for clever set-piece routines and frequently took pleasure in frustrating top sides through these approaches. Consequently, the Welshman has taken pride in witnessing the English club most traditionally linked with attractive football adopt similar tactics.

"Like me, he [Arteta] has recognised how important clean sheets are and he has also recognised that a lot of his games last year were drawn," he wrote in his BBC column. "So, he has looked for a way to turn those draws into wins.

"More than 20% of all the non-penalty goals scored in the Premier League last season came from corners or free-kicks so Arteta has probably looked at those stats and thought if we can get a chunk of it to add to what we've got, we've got a good chance of becoming a winning team."

Should it assist Arsenal in ending their 22-year drought for another Premier League crown, neither Arteta nor his squad will be concerned about their goalscoring methods. Pulis has expressed "nothing but respect" for Arteta following his refusal to restrict his tactical options simply to maintain a particular style.

"That's another reason why I have got nothing but respect for Arteta, because he has seen all of that at the time and just thought, 'You know what, doing that could help us,'" he added. "[Arsene] Wenger is probably shaking his head about what Arsenal are doing, but I know Arteta sees the Stoke comparisons as a compliment and so do the other Premier League managers who are doing the same."