The Reds improvement from set-pieces has not happened by accident. Their 5-2 victory over West Ham at the weekend perfectly illustrated that shift, with three first-half goals coming directly from corner situations.
After the match, Arne Slot downplayed the transformation, suggesting that things had simply “gone back to normal.” But the timing feels significant. Since the departure of set-piece coach Aaron Briggs at the end of December, Slot has taken direct responsibility for dead-ball routines, working alongside assistants Sipke Hulshoff and Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Set-piece analyst Lewis Mahoney has also assumed a more influential role. Importantly, there are no plans to appoint a new specialist coach.
The change has coincided with Liverpool embracing a trend that is sweeping across the Premier League: the dominance of inswinging corners and aggressive six-yard box targeting.
Seven of Liverpool’s last nine Premier League goals have come from set-pieces, five of those from corners. It marks a remarkable turnaround for a team that, earlier in the campaign, briefly held the worst set-piece record among Europe’s top five leagues.
Slot may not be entirely comfortable with the heavy reliance on dead-ball situations — he admitted it “hurts his football heart” — but adapting to the modern Premier League reality has become essential. In today’s game, marginal gains from set-plays can define seasons.
Across the division, attacking sides are increasingly crowding the six-yard box. On average, 3.25 attacking players now occupy that area during corners, compared to 2.51 last season. Defensive teams have responded by stationing 7.33 players inside the same zone, up from 6.67 the previous campaign. The congestion restricts goalkeepers, limits their ability to claim crosses cleanly, and increases the likelihood of chaotic second-ball situations.
Delivery patterns have also evolved. League-wide, 81 per cent of directly crossed corners are now inswingers — a notable jump from 71 per cent last season and significantly higher than the 59 per cent average of earlier campaigns.
Liverpool have followed suit.
Under Slot’s revised approach, corners are consistently aimed into the central six-yard “sweet spot.” Across their last three league wins — each featuring a goal from a corner — 28 corners were taken, with 70 per cent delivered into that optimal zone. Before Slot assumed control, only 19 per cent of Liverpool’s corner deliveries reached that same high-value area.
The West Ham match showcased the effectiveness of this adjustment. All three corner goals came from inswinging deliveries. Virgil van Dijk’s header demonstrated the direct threat such balls pose, while Hugo Ekitike’s opener and Alexis Mac Allister’s goal illustrated how dangerous second-phase situations can become.
West Ham’s defensive frailties played their part — particularly for the third goal, where three separate contacts went unchallenged before Mac Allister scored from Mohamed Salah’s delivery. Yet Liverpool’s intent and structure were unmistakable.
Ekitike’s role deserves special mention. Standing 6ft 3in, his aerial presence and intelligent positioning were pivotal. He occupied space effectively for the first goal, disrupted defensive markers for the second, and drifted to the back post to influence the third. With Florian Wirtz absent — limiting Liverpool’s creative supply from open play — the French striker’s set-piece impact became even more crucial.
Liverpool are already the fourth-highest earners of corners in the Premier League, with 163 — just seven fewer than Arsenal’s league-leading 170. The Gunners remain the benchmark for set-piece efficiency, but Liverpool have never struggled to generate opportunities. The issue was conversion.
Now, through refined delivery, targeted movement, and slight tactical tweaks in both zonal and attacking organisation, Liverpool are capitalising on the volume they create.
Acceptance of the league-wide shift has been key. Slot’s side may have been late adopters of the six-yard bombardment strategy, but their recent surge suggests they are quickly mastering it.
