Despite Arsenal being 18 points ahead of Liverpool, the Reds’ players have surprisingly now scored more open-play goals than Mikel Arteta’s side in the Premier League.
While Man City may be coming into the rear-view mirror, Arsenal are clear at the top of the Premier League and have been the division’s most consistent side this season.
Arteta’s side are favourites to win the title, but they haven’t necessarily been the best footballing outfit over the last year.
The Gunners have scored 37 percent of their Premier League goals from set-pieces this season, netting more times from set-pieces (23), including four penalties, than any other team in the league.
This has been a major strength and any team would be happy to have such a weapon in their armoury. However, it could be argued that it has covered cracks in Arsenal‘s chance-creation from open play.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, November 22, 2025: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai places a yellow Puma ball in the corner quadrant before taking a corner-kick during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Nottingham Forest FC at Anfield. Forest won 3-0. General ball (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Despite Liverpool struggling to even hold onto a top-five position, their players have actually scored more goals from open play than Arsenal.
Excluding own goals, Liverpool have scored 36 times from open play, whereas Arsenal have only managed 35 in the Premier League.
Man City have been by far the best team in their attacking build-up play, netting on 50 occasions from open play.
A record-breaking age gap between Ngumoha and Salah
Liverpool’s latest two strikes from open play came in their 2-0 win against Fulham, in which Rio Ngumoha and Mo Salah scored with two excellent finishes into both of the goalkeeper’s bottom corners.
There was an age gap of 16 years and 75 days between 17-year-old Ngumoha and 33-year-old Salah.
According to Opta’s Michael Reid, this was actually the biggest age gap between two scorers for Liverpool in the same match in the club’s entire top-flight history.
Previously, the biggest divide was 15 years and 157 days, between Gary McAllister and Steven Gerrard against Coventry in 2000.
Rio Ngumoha’s display against Fulham in numbers
Ngumoha’s finish against Fulham was a brilliant example of the quality he possesses; the amount of curl generated with relatively little back lift was a beautiful sight.
His opening goal came as part of a promising display that saw him touch the ball 43 times, with 10 of those coming in the opposition box, more than any other Liverpool player.
He also created two FotMob-defined big chances, accurately completed 22 of his 26 passes and was dispossessed just once during his 69 minutes.
While fans will be keen to see him start against PSG on Tuesday, Arne Slot may be more conservative in his approach given Ngumoha’s relative defensive weakness – he has made just two tackles in the league this season – against Luis Enrique’s talented right-back Achraf Hakimi.
Asked after the match whether Ngumoha is ‘ready’ to play against PSG, Slot said: “I think he’s ready.
“Now the question, of course, is, can he do this two days later again?
“That’s another question. But would he be able to play and perform at that level? Yeah. I play him because I see him as one of the players we are having.
“It’s not like he’s less or in the beginning of the season he was a young player getting some experience with the first team, but now he’s just someone I can pick for any game.”
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