Gary Neville calls Arsenal set piece coach the most annoying man in football

Gary Neville didn’t hold back during Arsenal’s 2-0 triumph over Manchester United, taking aim at the Gunners’ set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover.

Gary Neville Labels Arsenal Set-Piece Coach ‘The Most Annoying Man in Football’ After Gunners Beat Manchester United

The former United defender jokingly branded Jover as “the most annoying bloke in football” while providing live commentary during The Overlap’s watchalong of the Premier League clash.

Jover, who has revolutionized Arsenal’s set-piece strategy since joining from Manchester City in 2021, was instrumental again as the Gunners exploited their dead-ball prowess.

Goals from Jurrien Timber and William Saliba—both resulting from meticulously planned routines—secured the victory, leaving United struggling in the bottom half of the table while Arsenal tightened the gap to leaders Liverpool.

Neville’s tongue-in-cheek critique came with begrudging admiration.

“The set-piece coach at Arsenal,” he said, shaking his head,

“he’s got to be the most annoying bloke in football. He’s just got to be!”

His fellow pundit Jamie Carragher chimed in, singing Jover’s praises:

“I’ll tell you what, give him what he wants. If I were Arsenal, I’d let him write his own contract. If he asked for £25,000 a week, you’d just have to say yes!”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has often expressed how pivotal Jover has been to the team’s success. “He’s very special,” Arteta said earlier this week.

“When I worked with him at Manchester City, I saw the potential for massive improvement in that area. Since joining Arsenal, he’s brought so much clarity, precision, and alignment to our set-piece strategies.”

Jover’s influence has been likened to genius by his peers, with every routine tailored to the finest detail.

Former set-piece analyst Mads Buttgereit described him as “the best” in the business, recounting how Jover could spend hours refining a single corner kick.

For Arsenal fans, Jover’s meticulous approach has paid dividends, making the Gunners a force to be reckoned with in dead-ball situations.

For rival teams—and Neville—it’s undeniably frustrating, albeit undeniably effective.