Are more and more goals from corner kicks "ruining" the Premier League?

Written by Han Bing The 28th round of the Premier League concluded last weekend can be called a historic "corner kick round" – in Liverpool's 5-2 victory over West Ham United, the Reds scored a hat-trick of corner kick goals in the first half; in the London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea, all three goals came from corner kicks. After the matches, the focus of Premier League coaches, pundits, and media has been on corner kicks and set-pieces, with British media repeatedly voicing concerns.

Liverpool's first-half corner kick hat-trick against the Hammers is an achievement previously seen only once in the Premier League, when Manchester United faced Leicester City in September 2016. After changing their set-piece coach, Liverpool's set-piece goals since January have reached 9, three times the number from the first four months of the season, making them the new set-piece kings of the 2026 Premier League.

Arsenal, who sparked the trend of corner kick goals, continue to apply their now well-known "secret formula." In the London derby against Chelsea, all three goals from both teams came from corner kick attacks. Arsenal thus equaled the Premier League record for corner kick goals in a single season (16), and breaking the record is only a matter of time. Additionally, Arsenal's 9 opening goals from corner kicks equal Southampton's record (1994/95 season); their 9 winning goals from corner kicks broke Manchester United's Premier League record (2012/13 season, 8).

Chelsea manager Rossonier was frustrated by conceding two set-piece goals, as the team's week of practicing set-piece defense came to nothing. After defeating West Ham United with a corner kick hat-trick, Liverpool manager Slot, who "benefited," admitted he dislikes the "set-piece trend": "My 'football heart' doesn't like the set-piece trend; football should be like Barcelona 10-15 years ago." Everton manager Moyes also expressed dissatisfaction with set-piece tactics: "The emphasis Premier League teams place on set-piece tactics has turned matches almost into wrestling bouts. It shouldn't have come to this; it's terrible."

Sky Sports pundit Yaya Touré openly expressed disappointment with the quality of play: "I want to see great matches, passing, attacking, brilliant scoring chances... but all three goals in the big London derby came from corner kicks. This isn't the kind of match fans want to see." BBC commentator Sutton shares the same view: "If Arsenal win the title, will they be the 'ugliest' champions in Premier League history? Because their performances aren't convincing, relying more on set-piece goals." Arsenal legend Vieira defended the Gunners, stating the three points are what matter most. But he also admitted the match wasn't exciting: "People always expect Arsenal to play more beautifully, more openly and offensively."

Mainstream English media have raised the question: "Will set-pieces ruin the Premier League?" Set-pieces are an important part of football, but they shouldn't be this dominant. The Premier League was known for intense competition, fast pace, high speed, and suspense, but now set-pieces have become the main attraction. Premier League teams continually joining the set-piece trend are steering the league toward a dangerous direction of reduced entertainment and declining goals. Premier League broadcast shots are also changing. After goals, cameras increasingly focus on teams' set-piece coaches rather than the head coaches. The Premier League, controlled by North American capital, is increasingly resembling the NFL. The NFL is a sport obsessed with set-plays, with "playbooks as thick as a Collins dictionary."

▲ How the Premier League table would change if only open-play goals were counted.

Against the backdrop of rising set-piece, especially corner kick goals, the average goals per game in the Premier League have declined for three consecutive seasons: from 3.28 (2023/34 season), 2.93 (2024/25 season) to 2.79 this season. There are as many as 8 teams for whom set-piece goals account for over one-third of their total goals, with Crystal Palace (50%) topping the list, followed by Newcastle United (47.5%), Leeds United (45.9%), Chelsea (40.8%), and Arsenal (37.9%). Last season, non-penalty set-piece goals accounted for 20.6% of all Premier League goals; this season it has risen to 25.4%. The proportion of goals from corner kicks alone has increased by 5%, and including penalties, the share has risen from 28.6% to 33.3%.

The excessive focus on set-piece tactics has led to an increase in 0-0 draws in the Premier League. This season, there have already been 19 goalless draws, surpassing the 2024/25 season (16) and the 2023/24 season (11). The proportion of goalless matches (6.8%) has also risen for three consecutive seasons. The increase in goalless draws correlates positively with the decline in goals. Teams' obsession with scoring from set-pieces has also led to a drop in the number of shots. This season's average shots per game (24.4) is the second lowest since the 2003/04 season, only higher than the 2020/21 season (24.2 per game). That season, player performance was below expectations due to the pandemic.

▲ Trend chart of the proportion of goalless draws in the Premier League in recent years.

This season, for the first time in Premier League history, shots from outside the box per game (7.8) have fallen below 8, and shots on target per game (8.2) have also hit a record low, far below the 2023/24 season (9.9). Given that this season's shot conversion rate (11.2%) ranks as the 4th highest in Premier League history, it proves that the decline in total goals and increase in goalless draws are more due to fewer shots being taken, not lower shot quality. The decrease in shots is directly related to the over-reliance on set-piece tactics. The two teams with the highest proportion of goals from set-pieces, Crystal Palace and Newcastle United, also have the most goalless draws (4 each).

The Guardian believes no one wants to see crowded "wrestling" in the box during corner kicks. The Times calls corner kick attacks and defenses a "disgrace": "We've gotten used to the crowded grappling in the penalty area." The Daily Telegraph quotes Real Madrid legend Valdano criticizing the Premier League's growing dependence on set-piece tactics: "But short passes? Feints? Changes of pace? One-twos? No! Nutmegs? Heel passes? Don't make me laugh."