MU's corner kicks are also dangerous

03/11/2025 09:53:00 ChampionChatter

In the draw against Nottingham Forest last weekend, MU demonstrated a weapon that is turning into a trend in the Premier League: Set pieces.

With Forest defending firmly and MU finding it hard to generate opportunities, coach Ruben Amorim’s side utilized set pieces to unlock the game. From such a situation, Casemiro was nearly unmarked and comfortably scored with a header to put MU ahead.

MU’s weapon from set pieces

In fact, MU is among the teams scoring the most goals from set pieces in the Premier League this season. On October 26, Opta Analyst released data on teams with the highest number of goals from set pieces. Arsenal topped the list with 11 goals, MU ranked third with 6 goals, tied with Brighton and Crystal Palace. Chelsea was second with 9 goals.

This ranking shows that dead-ball situations or set pieces are an effective weapon for Premier League teams. Coach Pep Guardiola also noticed the strong comeback of dead-ball plays after his Man City side lost 0-1 to Aston Villa on October 26 from a short corner leading to Matty Cash’s goal.

The Spanish coach admitted: "Corner kicks and long throw-ins have become important weapons in the Premier League this season." He believes the league is becoming more "direct," inspired by Tony Pulis’s Stoke City team from the late 2000s – a squad that troubled many big teams before being replaced by the possession-based style of Barcelona, pioneered by Pep himself.

This trend has led some to say the Premier League is less entertaining. However, the effectiveness of corner kicks is undeniable. Arsenal, who are making the most of corners, currently lead the Premier League table.

At the end of last month, Mark Critchley from The Athletic analyzed MU’s corner kick approach this season: "MU no longer takes outswinging corners. Last season, Bruno Fernandes usually took MU’s corners, alongside Christian Eriksen. Amad, a left-footed player, was the next most frequent taker. However, MU lacks a true left-footed player who can regularly start and play most minutes to consistently deliver corners."

Casemiro helped MU break the deadlock with a header from Bruno Fernandes’ corner

MU has changed its corner kick strategy

"The arrival of Mbeumo has altered that. Mbeumo and Fernandes now share corner duties almost evenly this season, resulting in a significant increase in inswinging corners — while outswingers have disappeared completely. MU also stopped taking short corners or passing back outside the 18-yard box to then cross or combine inside," emphasized Mark Critchley.

"The overall effectiveness is positive. MU has scored 3 goals from set pieces, averaging 0.49 expected goals (xG) per game from dead-ball situations," Critchley added.

Notably, inswinging corners are considered easier to execute than outswingers. Regardless, a corner taker must be consistent and accurate to help create goals.

According to Tacticsjournal, inswinging corners make it harder for goalkeepers to intervene, defenders to mark, and forwards to be obstructed. Simply touching the ball towards the goal — whether near post, center, or far post — almost guarantees a scoring chance. Casemiro’s goal is a clear example, as Nottingham’s goalkeeper and defense were helpless.

MU also needs to improve defending aerial balls. Conceding 2 goals against Nottingham serves as a reminder for Ruben Amorim and his players. Offensively, MU clearly poses a threat to opponents’ defenses on set pieces. Corners are undoubtedly a potent weapon MU must exploit against teams with dense defensive lines.

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