Arne Slot believes it would be impossible to win a league title with how poor Liverpool are at set-pieces.
The reigning Premier League champions are sixth after 26 games this season, 15 points behind leaders Arsenal.
Set-pieces have been a key theme in the English top-flight in 2025-26, with Brentford most recently scoring from a long throw to hold Arsenal to a 1-1 draw on Thursday.
The Bees have scored 10 goals from throw-ins in the Premier League since the start of last season, more than double any other team, with Liverpool becoming one of their victims during their meeting back in October (3-2 win for Brentford).
Excluding penalties, Liverpool have conceded the joint-second most goals from set-pieces in the league this season (14 – level with Crystal Palace), with only Bournemouth (16) doing so more often.
In contrast, Arsenal have conceded the joint-lowest with six, while second-place Manchester City have seen seven set-piece goals scored against them.
Slot reiterated the importance of set-pieces, also highlighting it as a key difference between their Premier League and Champions League form.
When asked if he had changed his opinion on the importance of set pieces, Slot said: “My first thought is ‘no’ as I’ve said it is impossible to win a big game with a negative set-piece balance.
Putting in the work pic.twitter.com/m5pTxrALwg
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 13, 2026
“And in the Premier League now, every game is a big game because of the strength of the league.
“But looking at where the league has gone to, I should probably not say ‘no’ and should probably say ‘yes’ as I cannot keep going on about the importance of set pieces. It is every single day so important.
“People ask me multiple times about the difference in our Premier League and Champions League performances now and the most simple answer is set-pieces, because in the Champions League we are top in set pieces and in the Premier League we are completely bottom.
“And that reflects in the league table as well. The current Premier League is so much more about set pieces than it was last year.
“Even though last season it was very important, but it has now gone through the roof in terms of importance.
“It is actually impossible to win the league with a balance like ours, you need to have a plus five to even have a chance, even if you are playing well, to win the league.”
In December, Liverpool parted ways with their set-piece coach Aaron Briggs.
Liverpool take on Brighton in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.