Liverpool head coach Arne Slot celebrated his team's formidable set-piece threat as they secured a commanding 5-2 home victory over West Ham United in the Premier League. The match saw a remarkable first-half performance where Liverpool netted three goals directly from corners, a feat achieved only twice before in the league's history.
Set-Piece Dominance Drives Liverpool's Success
Hugo Ekitike, Virgil van Dijk, and Alexis Mac Allister were all on target from set-pieces during the opening period, propelling Liverpool to a comfortable halftime lead despite a relatively low expected goals (xG) figure of just 0.7. This display marked a significant turnaround for a side that ended 2025 with the worst set-piece balance in the top flight, having now transformed into the best performers since New Year's Day.
Slot Reflects on Season of Frustration and Improvement
"It is very pleasing because, firstly, that is the reason we have won," Slot remarked in his post-match comments. "Secondly, because people said 'well played,' and in my opinion, we have played better when we lost and better when we conceded from set-pieces earlier in the season."
The Dutch manager highlighted the stark contrast from the first half of the campaign, where Liverpool struggled defensively on set-pieces. "The first half of the season, almost every set-piece we conceded went in. We start scoring from set-pieces, and things start looking brighter and better than when you don't," he explained.
Analyzing the Tactical Shift
When questioned about the changes behind this improvement, Slot pointed to minor adjustments in both defensive and offensive setups. "We have created quite a lot of chances in the first half of the season that too many times did not go in," he noted. "Maybe one or two small details have changed defensively and offensively – our set-up is slightly different – but the biggest reason is that things go back to normal."
Despite conceding second-half goals to Tomas Soucek and Taty Castellanos, Liverpool maintained their momentum with further strikes from Cody Gakpo and an Axel Disasi own goal. This result marks their fourth win in five league matches, lifting them into fifth place in the standings.
Injury Concerns and Upcoming Fixtures
Slot also addressed the absence of playmaker Florian Wirtz, who missed the match due to a back injury sustained during warm-ups at Nottingham Forest the previous weekend. The Germany international remains doubtful for upcoming fixtures against Wolverhampton Wanderers in both the Premier League and FA Cup.
"Sometimes with an injury, things can develop in a positive or a negative way," Slot commented. "Now, we are thinking it doesn't have to take too long, but Tuesday will probably be too early. The week after will be tight as things stand now. I thought he would be available for today as well, which didn't happen, of course."
West Ham's Perspective on the Defeat
West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo acknowledged the difficulty in finding positives after a heavy defeat but insisted his team showed promising signs. "It is hard to explain, maybe it is absurd to say it is a good performance when you lose 5-2, but there are a lot of positives, a lot of negatives too," he stated.
Nuno pointed to critical errors from set-pieces as the primary downfall for his side. "At halftime, you say 'boys, you are playing good but losing 3-0,' but we really made mistakes from set-pieces. The second half we started well and scored early, we created problems for Liverpool," he added. "Saying it is a good performance maybe sounds really silly, but it is what I saw – but we go home with a poor result."
This match underscores Liverpool's resurgence in set-piece efficiency, a key factor in their recent climb up the Premier League table, while West Ham are left to rue defensive lapses that cost them dearly at Anfield.
