Dead-Ball Domination: Set-Pieces Rule the 2025/26 Premier League

Forget a thousand passes to work a shooting lane — this season’s Premier League is being carved up by the cold, clinical art of the dead ball. Corners, free-kicks, penalties and even the dreaded long throw are back in fashion, and Arsenal have become the poster boys for it. Even Jamie Carragher has admitted he’s staggered by how threatening they look at every corner; you can practically feel the panic in the opposition’s six-yard box.

If you’re the sort who likes to study the trends before a flutter on the best betting sites, take note: set-piece numbers are booming, and they’re deciding tight games. Below, we track how the bottom half are faring so far in the 2025/26 campaign — who’s squeezing every last drop out of a dead ball, and who needs extra drills on the training ground.

20) Wolves — Set-piece goals: 2

It’s been a slog. After last season’s great escape under Vítor Pereira, the early months have been lean and he’s now gone. The blueprint is obvious, though: get delivery right and aim for Jorgen Strand Larsen’s 6ft 4in frame. If Wolves are to climb, they’ll need to turn their size into set-piece muscle.

19) Fulham — Set-piece goals: 2

Marco Silva has quietly built a tidy side with aerial options in Raúl Jiménez and Rodrigo Muniz. With dribblers like Alex Iwobi drawing fouls around the box, the platform is there. The Cottagers just need cleaner execution to turn promising positions into consistent returns.

18) Liverpool — Set-piece goals: 3

Two moments of late drama set the tone: Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning late free-kick to topple Arsenal, and Mohamed Salah’s stoppage-time penalty to do for Burnley. You still expect Virgil van Dijk to dominate at corners, so Arne Slot will feel there’s another gear to find from dead balls.

17) Manchester City — Set-piece goals: 3

Pep Guardiola’s lot still prefer to pass teams into submission. Erling Haaland’s missed spot-kick in the 3-0 win over Liverpool would have fattened the tally, but when you monopolise the ball, you don’t lean on corners and free-kicks — you use them as garnish. Business as usual.

16) Burnley — Set-piece goals: 4

Back in the big time under Scott Parker, the Clarets know the margins matter. The brief is familiar: make every dead ball count, stay organised, nick points. There’s a foundation here, but the delivery has to be inch-perfect if they’re to squeeze out the extra wins.

15) Nottingham Forest — Set-piece goals: 5

Chaos off the pitch, course correction on it. After Nuno Espírito Santo and then Ange Postecoglou departed, Sean Dyche has arrived to tighten the screws. Expect an emphasis on restarts: with Chris Wood’s aerial clout and Nikola Milenković’s presence, Forest have the bodies to bully boxes.

14) Everton — Set-piece goals: 5

David Moyes back at Goodison? You can set your watch by the restarts. Michael Keane has already cashed in from James Garner’s wicked delivery — including vital goals against West Ham and Fulham. The Toffees will fancy themselves to grind out results with smart routines and big defenders.

13) West Ham — Set-piece goals: 6

The Hammers used to be the league’s set-piece bruisers. With Tomáš Souček still a menace, they found joy from a couple of corners in that 3-2 win over Burnley. Nuno Espírito Santo will hope that’s the spark to restore their old dead-ball swagger.

12) Tottenham Hotspur — Set-piece goals: 6

Thomas Frank has added a Brentford-esque edge. Long throws from Kevin Danso, whipped corners for Cristian Romero to attack — and Micky van de Ven’s recent brace from set plays shows Spurs are leaning into the ugly stuff. It’s pragmatic, and it’s paying off.

11) Aston Villa — Set-piece goals: 6

After a quiet start, Unai Emery’s side have cranked up the threat. A 4-0 dismantling of Bournemouth featured an Emi Buendía free-kick and corners finished by Ross Barkley and Youri Tielemans. With Amadou Onana back to add more aerial oomph, Villa look primed to keep cashing in.

The pundit’s verdict

Arsenal have set the tone, but the bigger story is league-wide: coaches are investing hours into restarts, specialist routines and long throws to open locked doors. In a season where the margins are microscopic, dead balls are the great leveller — and the smartest sides are treating them like gold dust.

Keep this page bookmarked as the set-piece race evolves — and for more Premier League talking points and smart angles, head back to our homepage.