Premier League analysis: How set-piece situations are reshaping the top sides
Set-pieces are deciding more Premier League matches than ever, providing the top sides with a consistent source of opportunity.
Arsenal have refined the craft – and their competition is beginning to follow, writes Sports News Blitz’s Ruben Picardo Ashworth.
Importance of corners
Arsenal beat Chelsea in a tight 2-1 victory, as all three goals were scored from corners, extending their lead at the top of the table back to five points.
It was the ninth time this season the Gunners have scored a match-winning goal from a corner – overtaking Manchester United’s eight in 2012-13.
Arsenal’s form has dipped at the start of 2026, yet their set-play threat has continued to be vital in their title challenge.
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Arsenal the league’s set-piece specialists
No team has leaned more heavily or more effectively on set-plays than Arsenal.
Their 21 set-piece goals include 16 from corners, a total that already equals the most in a single Premier League season – previously reached by Oldham in 1992-93, West Brom in 2016-17, and Arsenal themselves in 2023-24.
While Arsenal lead the way in set-piece output, the gap is narrowing as competitors begin to mirror the principles that have driven their success.
Out of the 11 goals scored amongst the teams who currently occupy the top six, seven were from set-pieces.
Teams now look to exploit the marginal gains a corner, freekick, and throw-in can offer.
And although the importance of set-pieces have never been underestimated, Arsenal’s influence has redefined how they are executed, turning routine plays into genuine match-winning weapons.
If you were to guess which team became the first to score seven successive non-penalty set-piece league goals, it would be Arsenal.
However, it was Liverpool who broke the record, which began with Ibrahima Konate’s late goal from a corner in a 4-1 win over Newcastle and ended when Cody Gakpo scored Liverpool’s fourth against West Ham from open play.
The team who were statistically the worst at set-pieces in the first half of the season have completely flipped it and have become the highest scorers from them.
When Aaron Briggs was relieved of his duties on December 30, they had only scored three in the league and conceded 12, excluding penalties. Since the new year, they’ve scored nine and conceded three.
Liverpool turning the tide
The switch in set-play focus has improved their form, as they now find themselves in fifth place, occupying the almost certain final Champions League spot.
Liverpool scored three goals from corners in the first half against West Ham, making them just the second team in Premier League history to do so.
The three-goal flurry highlighted exactly what set-pieces can offer in a league increasingly defined by stubborn low blocks.
Set-plays are becoming an increasingly apparent alternative to unsettle deep, disciplined backlines.
When space is scarce, well-drilled routines turn dead-ball situations into opportunities that would be near impossible to create from open play.
A perfect delivery into the box, a well-timed run, or a flick-on can disrupt the best of defenders, giving teams another way to open games up without relying on individual brilliance.
It is about finding ways to win, and when influential players are absent, teams are forced to discover alternative avenues to secure results.
To become a side reliant on set-pieces is most likely not what any Liverpool fan wants. However it is ultimately about winning, and a clear skill which needs to be mastered.
Set-pieces do more than just produce goals, they force opponents to defend differently, create second-ball opportunities, and require the opposition to stay fully switched on while repeatedly testing them in high-pressure scenarios.
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Breaking down low blocks
In an era of organised defences, mastering these moments has become as crucial as any tactical change deployed in open play.
Breaking down the low block seems to be the latest challenge managers face, as play becomes slower and there is limited central penetration.
Set-pieces can help bypass these issues, turning a frustrating stalemate into a decisive moment.
When a ball is swung in from a corner, or a long throw is taken, or a freekick whipped in, defenders are forced out of position, creating pockets of space that can be exploited in seconds.
It is this ability to manufacture chaos in tight areas that has transformed dead-ball plays from simple chances into purposeful tools capable of swaying results.
Ultimately, set-pieces are no longer deemed as an afterthought, but a prominent tactic of how the top sides intend to impose themselves on matches where control is difficult to assert.
As defensive structures tighten and open play space reduces, set-pieces provide a rare chance to establish attacking structure against compact resistance.
In a league defined by physicality and narrow margins, the teams that perfect set-pieces are the ones that will be able to turn the smallest advantages into consistent results.
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