Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that set-pieces have become a major weapon again in the Premier League. According to him, many matches now remind him of playing against Tony Pulis’ tough Stoke City side from years ago.
Recent statistics show that almost 19% of Premier League goals this season have come from corner kicks — nearly 5% more than previous seasons. Guardiola explained that teams are now treating throw-ins like corners, crowding the penalty box with attackers to create pressure.
Guardiola pointed out Brentford as a strong example, saying Manchester City struggled against them. He also highlighted a Brentford vs Liverpool match, where every long throw by Michael Kayode created danger. According to the Man City boss, Kayode dominated that game through set-piece threats alone.
The Spaniard praised managers like Sean Dyche and Sam Allardyce for mastering long-ball and set-piece football, saying tactics like long throws, second-balls and powerful delivery are not new — but they are now becoming more common across the league. He recalled how Stoke City once stood out for this strategy, but now “many teams do it.”
Guardiola added that even when he was at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Arsene Wenger used to talk about how difficult it was to play away at Stoke. Today, he believes that same challenge exists more frequently in England’s top flight, showing how physical and aerial football remains key to winning games.
