Mikel Arteta has laughed off a suggestion from Paul Scholes that Arsenal would be the most boring team to win the Premier League, insisting his side are considered “the most exciting in Europe” in other countries.

Scholes, the former Manchester United midfielder, pointed to the lack of goals from Arsenal’s front four this season and reliance on set pieces as evidence for his claim. Viktor Gyökeres is the club’s top scorer in the league with six, and Arsenal have scored 17 goals from set pieces – three more than any other club.

Arteta, whose side head into the second leg of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium with a 3-2 advantage, dismissed the criticism after Arsenal became the first team to win all eight of their games in the league phase of the Champions League.

“I hear completely the opposite: all around Europe that we are the most exciting team in Europe – the most goals, the most clean sheets,” the manager said. “Maybe I have different sources.”

Asked why there was such a disparity of views at home and abroad, Arteta said: “I don’t know which people. You send me the names, the addresses...