In the ever-evolving world of Premier League football, where tactical nuances can make or break a season, one trend is standing out like a well-drilled corner routine: the rise of set piece goals. As we hit the business end of the 2025-26 campaign around 28 matches deep per team dead-ball situations are proving more decisive than ever. Here at Statrdraft, we crunch the numbers to give you the edge, whether you’re scouting for fantasy picks, betting lines, or just geeking out on the beautiful game’s data side. Let’s break down the set piece stats, team by team, and compare them to the 2024-25 season to see what’s driving this surge.
Set Piece Goals by Club: 2025-26 Snapshot
First off, a quick look at how teams are faring in non-penalty set pieces (think corners, free kicks, and those sneaky throw-ins). Arsenal continue to lead the pack, channeling their inner Arteta masterclass, while underdogs like Bournemouth punch above their weight.
| Rank | Team | Set Piece Goals (excl. penalties) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 17 |
| 2 | Newcastle | 14 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 13 |
| 3 | Tottenham | 13 |
| 3 | Leeds | 13 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 12 |
| 6 | Bournemouth | 12 |
| 8 | Aston Villa | 11 |
| 9 | Liverpool | 9 |
| 9 | Fulham | 9 |
| 9 | Crystal Palace | 9 |
| 12 | Brighton | 7 |
| 12 | Burnley | 7 |
| 12 | West Ham | 7 |
| 12 | Everton | 7 |
| 12 | Sunderland | 7 |
| 17 | Manchester City | 6 |
| 17 | Brentford | 6 |
| 17 | Nottingham Forest | 6 |
| 20 | Wolves | 5 |
Newcastle’s 14 non-penalty set pieces highlight their aerial dominance, a nod to how teams are weaponizing height and precision in the box.
Full Goals Breakdown: Open Play vs. Set Pieces
Diving deeper, here’s how goals stack up across categories—total goals, open play (including those lightning counters), non-penalty set pieces, penalties, and even own goals. Manchester City and Arsenal top the scoring charts, but notice how set pieces inflate totals for mid-table battlers.
| Team | Total Goals | Open Play (incl. counters) | Set Pieces (excl. penalties) | Penalties | Own Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | 56 | 44 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Arsenal | 56 | 32 | 17 | 3 | 4 |
| Chelsea | 48 | 29 | 12 | 7 | 0 |
| Manchester United | 48 | 31 | 13 | 2 | 2 |
| Bournemouth | 43 | 28 | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| Liverpool | 42 | 31 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| Brentford | 40 | 27 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| Aston Villa | 38 | 25 | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| Fulham | 38 | 22 | 9 | 3 | 4 |
| Newcastle | 38 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 0 |
| Tottenham | 37 | 23 | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| Leeds | 37 | 20 | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| Brighton | 36 | 25 | 7 | 3 | 1 |
| West Ham | 32 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 2 |
| Burnley | 29 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| Crystal Palace | 29 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 1 |
| Everton | 29 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| Sunderland | 28 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| Nottingham Forest | 25 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Wolves | 18 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Key takeaway? Teams like Newcastle (just 19 open-play goals) are leaning heavily on set pieces to stay competitive— a smart strategy in a league where open-play chances are getting squeezed by compact defenses.
Percentage Reliance on Set Pieces
Now, the juicy part: how dependent are teams on dead balls? We’ve calculated percentages both excluding and including penalties. Newcastle hits a whopping 50% when pens are in, making them the ultimate set-piece merchants.
| Team | Total Goals | % Set Pieces (excl. pens) | % Set Pieces (incl. pens) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | 56 | 10.7% | 16.1% |
| Arsenal | 56 | 30.4% | 35.7% |
| Chelsea | 48 | 25.0% | 39.6% |
| Manchester United | 48 | 27.1% | 31.2% |
| Bournemouth | 43 | 27.9% | 34.9% |
| Liverpool | 42 | 21.4% | 23.8% |
| Brentford | 40 | 15.0% | 30.0% |
| Aston Villa | 38 | 28.9% | 28.9% |
| Fulham | 38 | 23.7% | 31.6% |
| Newcastle | 38 | 36.8% | 50.0% |
| Tottenham | 37 | 35.1% | 35.1% |
| Leeds | 37 | 35.1% | 45.9% |
| Brighton | 36 | 19.4% | 27.8% |
| West Ham | 32 | 21.9% | 31.2% |
| Burnley | 29 | 24.1% | 31.0% |
| Crystal Palace | 29 | 31.0% | 48.3% |
| Everton | 29 | 24.1% | 31.0% |
| Sunderland | 28 | 25.0% | 35.7% |
| Nottingham Forest | 25 | 24.0% | 32.0% |
| Wolves | 18 | 27.8% | 38.9% |
Manchester City’s low 10.7% excluding pens screams “Pep Guardiola open-play wizardry,” while Crystal Palace’s 48.3% including pens shows how set pieces can be a lifeline for lower-half teams.
Year-Over-Year Comparison: The Set Piece Boom
Comparing to the full 2024-25 season (1,091 total goals across 380 matches), this year’s partial tally (~747 goals) reveals a marked uptick. Last season, non-penalty set pieces made up 20.6% of goals (~225 total). This season? 25.4% (~190 so far, projecting to ~257 full-season). Including penalties, it’s jumped from ~28.6% to 33.3%.
| Season | Total Goals | Set Piece Goals (excl. pens) | % Set Pieces (excl. pens) | Penalties Scored | Set Piece Goals (incl. pens) | % Set Pieces (incl. pens) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1,091 | ~225 | 20.6% | ~87 | ~312 | ~28.6% |
| 2025-26 (so far) | ~747 | 190 | 25.4% | 59 | 249 | 33.3% |
What’s fueling this? Tactical tweaks, for one—more teams hiring set-piece coaches and drilling routines. Corners alone are up ~5% in conversion rates. Arsenal built on their 2024-25 leadership (20 non-pen set pieces), while Newcastle’s extreme 50% reliance is a big shift from their solid but not dominant last year. Liverpool’s modest bump (21.4% excl. pens) shows room for growth, but City’s low numbers prove you can still dominate without dead-ball dependency.
This surge isn’t just stats; it’s reshaping matches. In a league where margins are razor-thin, set pieces offer reliability amid chaotic open play. If the trend holds, 2025-26 could rewrite the record books for dead-ball dominance. For fantasy managers, target set-piece kings like Arsenal’s defenders or Newcastle’s headers— they could be your season-savers.
Stay tuned to Statrdraft for more breakdowns, and drop your thoughts in the comments: Is this set-piece era a tactical triumph or a sign of stagnant open play?
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