In the 2025/2026 season, the Premier League has gone through an evolution that has been as rapid as it has been significant. After years of teams trying to play progressive front-foot football and be pleasing on the eye, more and more sides are paying attention to the important role set-pieces can have.
Arsenal currently lead the way at the top of English football's top-flight, and are partly there as a result of being the best set-piece team in the country, scoring more goals from dead-ball situations than any other. While fans and pundits alike rue the sudden change in how teams go about scoring goals - even Liverpool boss Arne Slot has had some choice words to say following the Reds' defeat to Brentford - set-pieces are of course here to stay.
But what would the top-flight look like if set-pieces simply weren't a thing? Well, below is the latest Premier League table based on if only open play goals were counted. It's no surprise to say there are some big changes, including Mikel Arteta's Gunners falling from top spot.
20 Wolves
Tolu Arokodare Wolves
Staying rooted to the bottom of the table even in this alternate world, Wolves would remain on the same number of points they have in the real Premier League standings. Vitor Pereira's side have comfortably been the worst team in the top-flight thus far, and it remains to be seen how exactly they change things around given that they have stayed relatively injury-free.
Wolves' start means they are on course to be one of the worst teams in Premier League history, which would represent a sad decline for a team that were pushing quite high even just a couple of seasons ago.
19 Nottingham Forest
Morgan Gibbs-White
In what has been a turbulent season - largely orchestrated by the club's owner himself, Evangelos Marinakis - Nottingham Forest unsurprisingly are staring right into the face of a relegation battle this season. The club had performed spectacularly under Nuno Espirito Santo last year in order to finish in the European places, but they have been far from it in terms of displays this time around.
That being said, Forest would actually be one point better off if only open play goals counted, as Sunderland's winner at the City Ground courtesy of an Omar Alderete header from a Granit Xhaka set-piece would have been ruled out and given them a draw instead.
18 West Ham
Brentford's Kevin Schade in action with West Ham United's Jean-Clair Todibo
Another team much like Nottingham Forest who have endured a difficult campaign to say the least, West Ham would remain in the bottom three even in this no set-piece goals allowed universe.
The Hammers would actually be three points better off though, as not only would Michael Keane's opener for Everton be canceled out, and thus given the club a win instead of a draw, but Leeds United's second goal through a corner headed by Joe Rodon would have been removed and earned West Ham another point.
17 Leeds United
dcl leeds united
On their return back to the Premier League, Leeds United have already picked up a couple of notable victories, including against the likes of established top-flight sides like West Ham, Wolves and Everton. The Whites look a lot more set up to fight off relegation this season, and unsurprisingly, being good at set-pieces is one of the reasons why.
So in this world of open-play goals not being counted, Leeds actually become the first team where they would lose points from the table. Joe Rodon's decisive goal against West Ham would not have counted and thus resulted in that game being a draw, while the Welshman's header against Bournemouth would have been wiped out too.
16 Everton
Jack Grealish looking down whilst in action for Everton against Tottenham in the Premier League
Aside from Arsenal, Everton are one of three teams in the Premier League who would be four points worse off courtesy of only open play goals being counted. The Toffees have been back to their resilient and dogged old selves under David Moyes, and with a towering back-line, have unsurprisingly looked pretty dangerous from corners in particular.
Already this season, the Merseyside club have seen Michael Keane net from a set-piece against West Ham in a 1-1 draw, while the likes of James Tarkowski and Jake O'Brien will be hoping to add their names to the score-sheet very soon too.
15 Brentford
kayode brentford
Given all the talk about Brentford and their long throw-ins and the time it takes to deliver them, it's no surprise that they are one of the sides badly affected by set-piece goals not counting for anything in this table. Keith Andrews' side have looked a dangerous threat anytime the ball is delivered into the box, and in right-back, Michael Kayode, arguably have the biggest exponent of the long throw in the Premier League today.
He launched the throw for Dango Ouattara's opener against Liverpool, while a throw-in was also the source of the Bees' equaliser against Chelsea in the last minute.
14 Fulham
Arsenal's Jurrien Timber in action with Fulham's Kevin
Premier League - Fulham v Arsenal - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - October 18, 2025 Arsenal's Jurrien Timber in action with Fulham's Kevin REUTERS/David Klein
A disappointing campaign thus far has seen Fulham just hovering above the relegation zone in the Premier League, recording just the two wins. The Cottagers do, however, pick up two extra points in this alternate universe, with Leandro Trossard's winner for Arsenal at Craven Cottage being ruled out as it came via a corner for example.
Marco Silva's side no longer have the presence of Aleksandr Mitrovic up front who used to thrive off deliveries into the box, while defending set-pieces have been much more of an issue too.
13 Brighton
Diego Gomez Brighton
Brighton have long been one of the best in-possession teams in the Premier League, playing with dynamic patterns and intricate combinations even despite the high turnover of managers in recent years. Fabian Hurzeler has got the side playing progressive football much like his predecessors, and they have picked up some notable results in the top-flight already, including victories over Newcastle and Chelsea respectively.
12 Manchester United
manchester united casemiro
Manchester United are another one of the sides whose Premier League points in real life would take a bit of a hit in this world where no set-piece goals are counted. The Red Devils have finally looked like a proper team again, with Ruben Amorim masterminding a turnaround that included a superb 2-1 victory away at Liverpool in the Premier League.
United have scored some big goals from dead-ball situations this season, not least in that win against the Reds when Harry Maguire got on the end of a recycled corner to head home the winner.
11 Crystal Palace
crystal palace
After winning the FA Cup at the end of last season, Oliver Glasner is trying to build on what he accomplished at Crystal Palace. The Eagles - despite losing key attacking star Eberechi Eze to Arsenal in the summer transfer window - have looked just as resilient and difficult to beat as they always have, and picked up the big scalp of Liverpool at Selhurst Park.
That winner against the Reds would not stand though in this alternate universe, with Eddie Nketiah getting on the end of a flick-on from Marc Guehi from a long throw. Despite that, Palace would remain in mid-table just like they are in real life.