Charlie Grace

Fri 26 September 2025 15:15, UK

Leeds United earned their second win of the season away at Wolves on Saturday thanks to some set-piece magic.

Leeds beat Wolves 3-1 to secure a much-needed three points in what many dubbed an early relegation six-pointer, thanks to a wonderful free kick from Anton Stach.

Daniel Farke was under pressure entering the game after Leeds’ shaky early-season form, picking up four points from their first four games.

Leeds are looking for Premier League survival, and that would break the league’s two-year trend of all three newly promoted sides getting relegated back to the Championship if they are to stay up.

Daniel Farke doesn’t promise any more set-piece specials

Leeds are one of seven Premier League sides without a specialist set piece coach on their coaching staff.

However, Leeds boss Farke has hit back at the current conversations surrounding such roles in an interview with the Yorkshire Evening Post, saying: “I don’t like, you know, we have the tendency nowadays that at each and every corner, then the broadcasters have the name of the set-piece coach, and then always his face is on the camera, and he’s celebrated. I don’t believe in this.

“It should still be, in general, my responsibility, and sometimes we have the tendency right now to produce some superstars that shouldn’t be too much in the spotlight. Not criticising any club, but I don’t believe in this so much”

“I don’t believe in people who do the hard work behind the scenes and not like just to be in the spotlight each and every set piece, and jump forward so that everyone can see their face,” Farke continued.

“So I don’t believe in this modern hype. Anyhow, if some clubs want to do this and speak too much about this, yeah, then, well done.”

Worrying correlation emerges for teams without a set-piece coach

Of the seven teams to be without a set-piece coach this season, four of them find themselves in the top five for the most set-piece goals conceded so far this season.

West Ham United lead the way with seven goals conceded, with Manchester United, Wolves and Leeds all also in the top five.

Meanwhile, the teams that do have a set-piece coach lead the way in goals scored from set pieces, with Arsenal and Chelsea scoring five times from these situations already this season.

Last term, Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City all finished in the top eight for goals conceded from set pieces and in the bottom four for goals scored from set pieces, leading to the trio being relegated from the Premier League.

Farke will be aware of such a statistic coming back to haunt his side as they search for Premier League survival this season.