Every Premier League Club’s Set-Piece Takers in FPL 2026/27

Knowing the main Set-Piece Takers in FPL 2026/27 can uncover extra routes to goals and assists, particularly when dead-ball duties belong to players with secure minutes and strong open-play roles.

Set pieces are no longer a minor detail in Fantasy Premier League. During the 2025/26 season, 27.4% of Premier League goals came from non-penalty set plays, while goals from corners reached a competition record.

That does not make every corner taker a good FPL asset. The role becomes valuable when it belongs to someone who also starts regularly, creates chances from open play or has another dependable route to points.

The table below covers the main direct free-kick, corner and indirect free-kick takers at all 20 Premier League clubs. It is followed by five players whose dead-ball duties strengthen an already credible FPL case.

Last updated: 30 August 2026. Players separated by a slash may share duties according to the side of the pitch, match situation or starting line-up.

Premier League Set-Piece Takers 2026/27

Five FPL Set-Piece Takers Worth Owning

1. Dominik Szoboszlai

• FPL price: £7.0m | Position: Midfielder | Set-piece role: Corners, direct and indirect free-kicks

No Premier League player had a broader dead-ball role in Gameweek 1. Szoboszlai took six corners, delivered three crossed free-kicks and attempted two direct free-kicks before converting Liverpool’s late penalty against Newcastle.

This was not simply an opening-week experiment. He scored four direct free-kicks from 14 attempts last season, leading the Premier League in both categories. Mohamed Salah’s departure has also removed one of his main rivals for corners from the right.

Szoboszlai failed to produce an attacking return against Nottingham Forest in Gameweek 2, although he went close from another direct free-kick and collected defensive contribution points. He was moved to right-back late in the match, but that positional change did not take him away from dead-ball duties.

At £7.0m, he offers penalties, corners, free-kicks and defensive contributions without occupying a premium price slot. That combination is difficult to match.

2. Bruno Fernandes

• FPL price: £12.0m | Position: Midfielder | Set-piece role: Corners, free-kicks and penalties

Bruno Fernandes does not need set pieces to justify his FPL relevance, but they help explain why his points can arrive in so many different ways.

The Manchester United captain registered 21 league assists last season, with 11 coming from set-piece situations. Seven were created by first-time deliveries from corners or indirect free-kicks, underlining the quality of his service rather than simply the volume.

Bryan Mbeumo can take some right-sided corners, but Fernandes remains United’s central figure. He takes deliveries from the opposite side, attempts direct free-kicks and retains first claim on penalties.

The obstacle is price. At £12.0m, Fernandes has to be judged alongside premium captaincy options rather than ordinary set-piece specialists. Managers who can accommodate him are buying a team’s primary creator, not merely a corner taker.

3. Declan Rice

• FPL price: £7.5m | Position: Midfielder | Set-piece role: Left-sided corners and free-kicks

Arsenal scored a Premier League-record 19 goals from corners last season, making a share of their deliveries more valuable than the same role at most other clubs.

Rice took 95 corners in 2025/26, along with more indirect free-kicks than any of his Arsenal teammates. His left-sided deliveries complement Saka’s work from the right, while he also remains a threat from direct free-kicks around the edge of the area.

Those responsibilities helped Rice finish with 184 FPL points, 13 attacking returns and 28 points from defensive contributions. His appeal comes from accumulation rather than explosive hauls: minutes, corners, assists and defensive work all add to the total.

At £7.5m, he is not an automatic selection. Managers wanting a more advanced attacker may prefer to spend the money elsewhere, but Rice remains one of the safest routes into the league’s strongest set-piece team.

4. Pascal Groß

• FPL price: £5.5m | Position: Midfielder | Set-piece role: Corners and indirect free-kicks

Groß is the budget specialist in the group. He controls most of Brighton’s corners and crossed free-kicks, while his successful pre-season penalty suggests he may have an additional route to goals.

After returning to Brighton midway through last season, Groß produced 118 crosses from Gameweek 22 onwards, more than any other Premier League player. He also created 39 chances and supplied six assists during a nine-match run.

Promise David’s arrival has made Brighton’s penalty hierarchy less certain, but it should not remove Groß from corners. If anything, the presence of a physical centre-forward gives his deliveries another target inside the box.

He will not match the open-play threat of more expensive midfielders. At £5.5m, however, secure minutes and control of Brighton’s dead balls make him a useful enabler for squads built around several premiums.

5. Lewis Hall

• FPL price: £5.0m | Position: Defender | Set-piece role: Corners and crossed free-kicks

Lewis Hall offers something the four midfielders above cannot: clean-sheet points combined with a meaningful set-piece role.

The departures of Kieran Trippier, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali have cleared Newcastle’s old hierarchy. Hall subsequently took all three of their corners and crossed free-kicks in Gameweek 1, having already delivered 41 league corners last season.

He has started and completed both of Newcastle’s opening matches, collecting 14 FPL points. Most of those returns have come from defending rather than attacking output, so his set pieces should be viewed as an extra route rather than the foundation of the pick.

At £5.0m, Hall combines starts, clean-sheet potential, defensive contributions and dead-ball deliveries. That is a more rounded profile than many similarly priced defenders possess.

Set-Piece Takers to Monitor

Reece James could become one of the strongest options if he secures regular starts, but Chelsea have several alternative takers and his availability remains difficult to trust.

Maxim De Cuyper has taken right-sided corners for Brighton and has also been used on the wing while remaining classified as a defender. His advanced position is attractive, although that role may change when Brighton’s injured wide players return.

At Leeds, Anton Stach and new signing Harry Wilson appear likely to divide corners and free-kicks. Stach has the stronger direct shooting threat, while Wilson may gradually claim a larger share of deliveries once fully integrated.

James Garner also deserves attention after returning from groin surgery. He is Everton’s most complete set-piece taker and combines those duties with a strong record for defensive contributions, but his minutes should settle before he is treated as a reliable FPL selection.

Final Thoughts

Set-piece duties are most useful when they strengthen a player who already has a viable FPL role.

Szoboszlai has the widest range of responsibilities at a mid-range price. Fernandes supplies premium-level creativity, Rice delivers into the league’s most dangerous set-piece attack, Groß provides a cheap midfield route and Hall adds corners to a defender’s existing sources of points.

A corner-taking role on its own is rarely enough to justify a transfer. Secure starts, the quality of the targets in the box and a player’s ability to collect returns away from dead balls should still come first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is the best set-piece taker in FPL 2026/27?

A: Dominik Szoboszlai currently has the broadest role. The Liverpool midfielder takes corners, direct and indirect free-kicks and is also leading the club’s penalty hierarchy.

Q: Who is the best budget set-piece taker in FPL?

A: Pascal Groß is one of the strongest budget options at £5.5m. He controls most of Brighton’s corners and crossed free-kicks, while he may also receive some penalties despite competition from Promise David.

Q: Do corner and free-kick takers receive extra FPL points?

A: FPL does not award points simply for taking a corner or free-kick. Players only benefit if the set piece produces a goal, an assist or another recognised scoring action, so secure minutes and delivery quality remain important.

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