LIVERPOOL, England (AP) 鈥� Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he no longer finds most games a joy to watch with the 鈥渘ew reality” of set-piece goals dominating the competition.
League leader Arsenal has specialized in efficient set-piece scoring this season and both its goals came from corners in Sunday’s . Slot’s Liverpool scored three from corners in a over West Ham the day before.
鈥淒o I like it? My football heart doesn鈥檛 like it. Now most of the games I see in the Premier League are not, for me, a joy to watch,” Slot said Monday ahead of fifth-place Liverpool’s game at Wolverhampton on Tuesday.
Slot said set pieces are one reason the Premier League has 鈥渟o much competitiveness鈥�, with smaller teams able to pull off big upsets, but also pointed the finger at lenient English refereeing compared to the Dutch league, where Slot coached until joining Liverpool.
In England 鈥測ou can almost hit a goalkeeper in his face鈥� and the referee will still play on, Slot argued.
鈥淢aybe in five or 10 years鈥� time things will change again but I wouldn鈥檛 be surprised if you went to an under-16s game somewhere, Sunday League football, if you see teams completely being focused on set-pieces,” Slot added. “That鈥檚 the new reality.鈥�
Liverpool will visit Wolverhampton twice this week, with an FA Cup game set for Friday, before another away trip March 10 against Galatasaray in the Champions League.
Slot said playmaker Florian Wirtz is set to out of both Wolverhampton games with a back injury and predicted he would return to action next week.
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