Arne Slot said Liverpool’s biggest issue this season has been the team’s inability to deal with set-pieces.
It has been a recurring topic for Slot, one that even dates back to the final months of last campaign. The number of set-piece goals has increased across the whole league, with Arsenal ’s ability to net from corners a key factor in its early advantage at the top of the table.
The likes of Brentford, Crystal Palace and Chelsea have also utilized set-pieces effectively this season, unlike Liverpool, with the champions struggling to score and defend from that particular area. The Reds have managed just three set-piece goals this term.
It has contributed to Liverpool’s general downturn in form in recent months, with the club suffering nine losses in 12 prior to the win over West Ham United.
But Slot downplayed that run when speaking to Sky Sports before the Sunderland match, while acknowledging improvement is needed.
“Actually, I’ve been happy with quite a few performances when we’ve lost - or phases of the games we’ve lost,” said the Dutchman.
Arne Slot
Arne Slot said he is concerned with how Liverpool defended set-pieces this season
“I also saw this week that we’ve created the most open play chances of any Premier League team; if that is the situation, it’s impossible to only be unhappy with performances.
“It’s been clear and obvious where our biggest issues have been in all the losses we’ve had.
“I saw this week that Man United and Arsenal are on 10 goals on set-pieces, Chelsea on eight… and we’ve conceded nine.”
Slot has repeatedly referenced Liverpool’s negative set-piece record this term, and claimed it is a major difference between this season and last.
Virgil van Dijk heads in from a Liverpool corner
Slot wants to see more goals from set-pieces
“This season, we haven’t had that many special moments - an act of brilliance, and we haven’t scored from a set-piece,” the former Feyenoord boss said in October.
“If you would tell me that we’ve conceded 40 percent of our goals from set-pieces, and the number one in the league has scored 60 percent of their goals from set-pieces, and we’re still one point behind that team, I would probably think that’s not even that bad,” he added, in reference to Arsenal.
Sadly, the Reds now find themselves nine points behind Mikel Arteta’s side after a third of the campaign.