This is the kind of scoreline that Liverpool likely envisioned achieving more frequently when they invested nine-figure sums on attacking stars Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. However, despite not needing their creativity and speed as they scored five goals in a league game for the first time since clinching the title with a thrashing of Tottenham, both high-priced players were sidelined due to injuries.
The team seemed to validate one of Arne Slot’s core beliefs. The Liverpool manager pointed out that breaking down a defense often requires a moment of brilliance or a set-piece. While Hugo Ekitike and Dominik Szoboszlai played, Liverpool didn’t exhibit any magic. Yet the squad, previously the weakest in the league for set-pieces in the season’s first half, might now be the strongest, as they found the net from such situations three times before halftime—directly or indirectly.
Virgil van Dijk scores Liverpool’s second goal (Getty)
For Nuno Espirito Santo, it was a challenging day, made even worse for Aaron Briggs. After Liverpool dismissed their set-piece coach in December to address persistent issues, they now seem to have improved. Slot noted, “There was a time when we were 23 goals behind Arsenal—including penalties—and we’ve narrowed that gap,” he remarked with a smile.
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He took pleasure in the set-pieces that overcame West Ham United. “It is very satisfying,” he said. “In the first half of the season, we seemed to concede from every set-piece. Now that we’re starting to score from them, everything looks much more positive.”
Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo were on the scoresheet at Anfield (AFP via Getty)
They have certainly turned a corner regarding set-pieces. This shift leaves Briggs—who wasn’t initially hired as a specialist in set-piece coaching—somewhat unlucky, considering that the first and third goals resulted from second-phase play. Perhaps Liverpool is seeing a balance restore in fortune this season, as they also scored from an own goal. “Things have returned to normal,” Slot reflected. “Perhaps just a couple of minor adjustments defensively and offensively have been made,” he noted, but he claimed there hasn’t been a drastic change in strategy on the pitch.
Liverpool’s record at set-pieces is still imperfect; they conceded a goal to West Ham from a corner when Taty Castellanos went unchecked. Nonetheless, as they climbed to fifth place in the league—re-entering the Champions League spots for the first time in a month—they now lead in another statistic: the most set-piece goals in 2026, tallied at nine. They are only the second team in Premier League history to net three goals from corners in a single first half.
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The second goal may have originated from training, even if it wasn’t the most elaborate play. Szoboszlai aimed a corner directly at Virgil van Dijk, who promptly headed it home. West Ham had opportunities to defend against the initial two corner plays. The scoring began when, after a series of headers, Ryan Gravenberch found Ekitike, who scored with a low half-volley that took a deflection.
Alexis Mac Allister celebrates with Hugo Ekitike after scoring Liverpool’s third goal (AFP/Getty)
Ekitike concluded the match with two assists to accompany his goal, setting up Alexis Mac Allister to volley in the third, which marked Mac Allister’s second in a week. They almost scored a fourth set-piece goal; however, Cody Gakpo misfired after West Ham failed to clear Joe Gomez’s long throw. Ultimately, Gakpo broke his goal drought, scoring after a deflection off Aaron Wan-Bissaka, marking his first strike in eight games. Slot has held off calls to start Rio Ngumoha, and his patience paid off with Gakpo returning to form on the scoresheet.
The fifth goal came five minutes after Jeremie Frimpong returned after a month on the sidelines. His low cross was inadvertently turned into an own goal by Axel Disasi. West Ham have faced similar frustrations, conceding five goals in three encounters with Liverpool in Slot’s relatively short managerial term, managing just one win at Anfield since 1963, and facing uncertainty about visiting again next season.
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West Ham, too, are well aware of the importance of set-pieces. “We made significant mistakes from those situations,” Nuno reflected. “It’s frustrating for the coaching staff, as we have dedicated a lot of effort and time to rectify it.” Yet, instead of improvement, they faced errors. No team has allowed more goals this season from set-pieces, and it may cost them dearly.
The Hammers have the fewest clean sheets this season and found themselves trailing within the first five minutes. Although Liverpool lacked dominance throughout the match, scorelines heavily influence perceptions. Slot received praise for Liverpool’s performance against West Ham but remarked, “In my opinion, we have played better even when we lost and in games where we conceded from set-pieces.”
Tomas Soucek looks dejected after West Ham concede their fifth goal (Getty)
Ultimately, Nuno acknowledged how his points might appear contradictory. “It may seem illogical to call it a good performance after a 5-2 loss,” he noted. “But there were numerous positives.” His team posed an attacking threat, scoring their first goal in four matches; Tomas Soucek found the net after El-Hadji Diouf’s low cross. Alisson made key saves against Crysencio Summerville, and Castellanos headed in Jarrod Bowen’s corner afterward. West Ham ended the match with a higher expected goals tally despite the scoreline—something irrelevant in the context of set-piece performance.