United joint-top for set-piece goals

While Arsenal's proficiency from dead-ball situations is extremely well documented - the Gunners fans even have a chant about it - their tally of 10 in the 2025/26 top-flight was matched by Ruben Amorim's side at the weekend.

We scored from two Bruno Fernandes free-kicks, with Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount applying the finishes, during an excellent comeback win at Selhurst Park.

Later on Sunday, Arsenal drew 1-1 with 10-man Chelsea, who have also been a huge threat from set-plays all season, but both of the goals, from Trevoh Chalobah and Mikel Merino, came from open play.

When the dust settled on matchweek 13, it meant United were joint-leaders of this particular table, showing how much work goes on behind the scenes on the training ground at Carrington.

Only two games in, Leny Yoro forced an own goal by Rodrigo Muniz of Fulham from a Bryan Mbeumo corner and we also benefited from an opposing player when the rebound went in off Josh Cullen against Burnley, when Casemiro's header came back off the bar.

Casemiro netted against Chelsea when the Blues failed to properly clear their lines, Benjamin Sesko ultimately profited from a long throw-in by Diogo Dalot against Sunderland and, of course, Harry Maguire headed the memorable winner at Liverpool, when Fernandes volleyed into the danger zone, from his initial free-kick.

Five of our set-piece goals came during November, starting with Casemiro and Amad's efforts away to Nottingham Forest in the 2-2 draw.

Matthijs De Ligt's dramatic equaliser at Tottenham Hotspur was assisted by Fernandes's perfect far-post corner delivery and then, of course, came the impressive triumph at Palace, who had been unbeaten in their last 12 home games in the league.

After the game in the capital on Sunday, Amorim commented: "We have more time to work. We work a lot and we are learning a lot. In England, I think you are used to seeing that. When you are in the Premier League, you learn a lot from the other teams, and how to do it. We are stealing a lot of things to score!"

In an earlier chat with MUTV, he paid tribute to those involved in devising the routines.

"Your strategy [sometimes] it depends on corners, on crosses," he told us. "So I think the credit we need to give also to Carlos [Fernandes] and Emanuel [Ferro], all the analyst guys, Kaita [Hasegawa], the guys that do an amazing job of understanding the idea of the opponents.

"But the credit is always [to] the players because they play the game."

SET-PIECE GOALS IN PREMIER LEAGUE

10: Arsenal, UNITED
8: Chelsea
7: Crystal Palace

Stat courtesy of TNT Sports (excludes penalties).