Ian Wright has hit out at the “pathetic” criticism aimed at his beloved Arsenal this season and asks why Manchester United haven’t been given the same “stick”.

The Gunners have endured a difficult spell as the international break was sandwiched between the Carabao Cup final humbling by Manchester Cityand the shock defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup quarter-final.

Mikel Arteta’s side remain on course to win the Premier League, sitting nine points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table, but despite their dominance they’ve been frequently criticised for a laboured style of football and relying on set pieces to win games.

Wright has dismissed the condemnation as “laughable” and asked why the Gunners wouldn’t make use of the skills of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka over a dead ball and the giants they have attacking deliveries.

“Can I be honest? You know what’s pathetic about people going on about the set-pieces? We’ve seen Man City, Man City have done really well with their set-pieces,” Wright told YouTube channel GO90.

“The fact is, it’s laughable because set-pieces and being able to do set-pieces, it’s part of the game.

“In 1999, David Beckham, after Manchester United got hammered in that Champions League final [against Bayern Munich]… David Beckham put two corners in the exact same place so they could score.

“Are you saying that we should give Manchester United stick for being able to have a player that has trained, practiced nearly all his life about putting the ball in the right area?

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“Declan Rice when he’s putting the ball in, Bukayo Saka when he’s putting the ball in… do you think that’s easy?” he went on.

“People are using as much as they can in respects of the margins that it’s costing to try and win games now that set-pieces have become a big part of the game.

“It might not be a big part of the game years ago but when you’ve now got players who are capable of putting the ball into areas where somebody else can take advantage, like Gabriel Magalhaes for Arsenal, then you’re going to do it because it’s a way of scoring a goal.

“Remember the skill element. Gabriel Magalhaes has got to lose a man, Declan Rice or Bukayo Saka have got to put it [in the right area],” he continued.

“People underestimate the amount of work that goes into trying to get these set-pieces right.

“It means so much to win games, win points in this league, that you will take any margin to get it done.”

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