Liverpool’s set play transformation a return to ‘normal’ for Slot

Liverpool’s Dutch defender #04 Virgil van Dijk celebrates after scoring their second goal during the English Premier League football match against West Ham United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on Saturday. Photo: Paul ELLIS / AFP Liverpool boss Arne Slot said his side have played better this season and lost, but underlined the impact of set pieces after Saturday’s 5-2 win over West Ham. That followed a recent trend as Van Dijk also scored away at Sunderland and Bournemouth in recent weeks, Ibrahima Konate netted from a corner in a 4-1 win over Newcastle and Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick opened the scoring in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City.

Liverpool have gone from the worst in the Premier League in the difference between the number goals scored and conceded from set-pieces at the end of 2025 to the best so far in 2026. “Very pleasing because firstly that is the reason we have won and secondly because people said ‘well played’ and in my opinion we have played better when we lost and better when we conceded from set-pieces,” said Slot. “The first half of the season almost every set-piece we conceded went in.

We start scoring from set-pieces and things start looking brighter and better than when you don’t.” Liverpool sacked set piece coach Aaron Briggs at the end of last year, but Slot played down the difference that change had made. “We have created quite a lot of chances in the first half of the season that too many times did not go in,” he added. “Maybe one or two small details have changed defensively and offensively – our set-up is slightly different – but the biggest reason is that things go back to normal.” A place in the top five is almost certain to secure Champions League football next season thanks to the strong results of English sides in European competition this season.