Arsenal ended a 153-day sequence without scoring a competitive set-piece goal when Ezri Konsa bundled home against Everton in Saturday's Premier League contest.

The reigning English champions have become synonymous with dead-ball goals during the recent Mikel Arteta years, scoring 25 goals from corners in all competitions in the 2025-26 campaign.

Arsenal also bagged 14 from such situations alone in the 2024-25 Premier League season, although Nicolas Jover's normally trusty routines failed to bear fruit in the early stages of the 2026-27 season.

Indeed, Arsenal scored 23 of their first 24 goals of the campaign from open play, the exception being Bukayo Saka's late penalty in September's 2-0 victory over Sunderland.

However, the North London giants belatedly bagged their first corner goal of the campaign to draw first blood against Everton on October 24, as Konsa struck his first Gunners goal at the back stick following an episode of penalty-box pinball.

Arsenal score first set-piece goal in 13 games against Everton

In doing so, the former Aston Villa defender scored Arsenal's first set-piece goal in all competitions - excluding penalties - since the final day of the 2025-26 Premier League season against Crystal Palace.

The Gunners' last goal of their title-winning campaign was scored by Noni Madueke following a corner, after which they went 13 games without finding the back of the net from a corner or free kick.

Mikel Arteta's side were one of just four Premier League teams who did not score from a corner or free kick in the first seven gameweeks of the 2026-27 season, a list that also includes Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.

The English champions used their physicality to good measure against the Toffees, though, also capitalising on the absence of Toffees defender Jarrad Branthwaite through concussion protocols.

Arsenal are still evolving under Mikel Arteta

13 - Arsenal scored their first set-piece goal in all competitions (ex. penalties) since May of last season against Crystal Palace, ending a run of 13 games without one. Reminder. https://t.co/z57wDQGgsI

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 24, 2026

While Arsenal were formerly criticised for relying too heavily on dead-ball situations to find the back of the net, Arteta's attack has shown an added dimension in the absence of such strikes this term.

That is not to say that Arsenal have been exhilarating with the ball at their feet - their 12 goals scored in the Premier League is by far and away the lowest total in the top four behind Manchester City (20), Chelsea (17) and Brighton & Hove Albion (23).

But when the Gunners have struggled to get deliveries bang on or win the first contact, Arteta's men have almost always found a way to pick the lock from open play, be it via fortunate deflected goals or well-worked attacking sequences.

The rejuvenation of Martin Odegaard has played a key role in Arsenal's increased threat from open play, and with a league-low five goals conceded to boot, Arteta's Arsenal are continuing to evolve.