Arne Slot admits he does not enjoy the “new reality” of the Premier League as set-pieces take over, the Dutchman saying “my football heart doesn’t like it.”
This season has marked a major shift in how football is played in the Premier League, with an emphasis on set-pieces prevalent from the top of the table to the bottom.
Liverpool have been forced to embrace this change, with Slot’s side now boasting one of the best records when it comes to free-kicks, corners and throw-ins in 2026.
But speaking ahead of the trip to Wolves, Slot admitted he no longer enjoys watching most Premier League games.
“First of all you have to accept it,” he said when asked if he was concerned over the direction football was heading.
“I think it’s mainly here in the Premier League. If I watch other leagues I don’t think there’s so much emphasis on set-pieces – and that’s sometimes funny for me to do.
“If I watch an Eredivisie game which I still do, I see goals being disallowed or fouls on goalkeepers being given and I’m like ‘wow!’.
“That’s a big difference. Here you can almost hit a goalkeeper in his face and the referee still says ‘just go on’.
“Do I like it? My football heart doesn’t like it.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 28, 2026: Liverpool's captain Virgil van Dijk scores the second goal during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and West Ham United FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“If you ask me to think about football I think about 10, 15 years ago, about the Barcelona team, every Sunday evening you were hoping that they would play.
“Now most of the games I see in the Premier League are not a joy to watch for me.
“But it’s always interesting because it’s so competitive and that is what makes this league so great, because there’s so much competitiveness, everyone can beat everyone.”
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Sunday, November 9, 2025: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot and Manchester City's head coach Josep "Pep" Guardiola (R) shake hands before the FA Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Liverpool FC at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Slot has been vocal in his admiration of Pep Guardiola’s work at Barcelona and now Man City and that is reflective of his view on how football should be played.
But it is not only the focus on set-pieces that he believes has changed the feel of the Premier League – but also a more level playing field.
“Just as someone who loves to watch football without being interested in who’s winning or losing, just to enjoy it, I think there is a big difference now than three or four years ago in the Premier League,” he continue.
“Not only because of the set-pieces, also because teams have become so much stronger, so three or four years ago when the top clubs faced the numbers 18, 17, 16, 15, it could have been a four or five goal difference.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - Sunday, February 22, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai (L) challenges for a header with Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White during the FA Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Liverpool FC at the City Ground. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
“That’s usually what you like, if there’s so much difference between the teams, then one team is really good.
“But that’s not the situation anymore, so it’s not only about the set-pieces, it’s also because so many teams have become very strong.
“We’re not going to change it, and maybe in five or 10 years’ time things will change again, but what I wouldn’t be surprised about is if you go to an U16 game somewhere and you see teams completely focused on set-pieces.
“That’s the new reality and I have my opinion about it, but it doesn’t change.”