Arsenal news: Alexandre Lacazette warns his side against clumsy set piece defending

Unai Emery‘s side went behind after just 11 minutes against Valencia from a corner

Alexandre Lacazette has urged Arsenal to keep their concentration from set pieces after an early goal threatened to derail the side in the Europa League semi-final against Valencia.

Unai Emery‘s side went behind after just 11 minutes when diminutive striker Rodrigo drifted unmarked to the back post from a corner and headed across the face of goal, with the ball turned in by Mouctar Diakhaby.

Three minutes earlier, Arsenal should already have been a goal down when Ezequiel Garay skied the ball over the bar from just four yards from another set piece after Rodrigo had found space from a free-kick.

Lacazette created and finished the equaliser via a brilliant one-two with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, before putting the Gunners into a half time lead after meeting Granit Xhaka’s cross with a powerful header.

Aubameyang then scored a decisive goal in the game’s dying moments to give Arsenal a 3-1 aggregate lead to take to Spain. After the game, though, Lacazette warned that his side have to stop conceding complacent goals from set pieces if they want to finish the season on a high.

“We conceded the first goal and we knew they were good on set pieces. At this moment we concede too many goal on set pieces. We need to be careful on this for second leg,” Lacazette told BT Sport.

“We have a lot of quality in this group and we can go to the final. We know the next game will be difficult but if we have the same ingredients there then we will go through.

“It’s our target to reach the final and win this trophy. We know it’s an opportunity to qualify for next year’s Champions League.”