We’ve already seen the clubs who have scored the most free-kick goals, excluding direct shots, this season alone, but here’s a look at those who have got the most in a single season since the start of 2012/13…
8 Clubs on 7 Goals (Various Seasons)
Goals from free-kicks (excluding direct shots): 7
During the 2012/13 campaign, Arsenal, Manchester United, Reading and West Ham all scored seven goals from non-direct free-kicks. Two years later in 2014/15, Crystal Palace led the Premier League with seven from similar scenarios, as did Sunderland in 2015/16.
Bournemouth managed seven non-direct free-kick goals in 2016/17, which was second best in the division, while Liverpool got seven last season in 2018/19 - a league high for that year.
Tottenham (2017/18)
Goals from free-kicks (excluding direct shots): 8
Free-kicks are an invaluable attacking weapon at both ends of the table, as Spurs showed during the 2017/18 campaign when they scored right times from such scenarios and finished third – thereby sealing Champions League football for a third consecutive season.
Spurs were consistently among the Premier League’s best at scoring from free-kick situations between 2013 and 2018 after also getting six goals in the four other seasons in that period.
Liverpool (2013/14)
Goals from free-kicks (excluding direct shots): 8
Liverpool had the brilliance of Luis Suarez and his partnership with Daniel Sturridge that propelled them to over 100 Premier League goals in 2013/14, yet the Reds also led the league in goals scored from non-direct free-kicks after netting eight times.
Norwich (2012/13)
Goals from free-kicks (excluding direct shots): 8
Norwich beat relegation by an impressive eight-point margin in 2012/13, but the season could have been very different for the Canaries had they not been such a free-kick threat.
As many as eight of their 41 total goals came from non-direct free-kick situations. Only two other clubs in the division that season scored fewer goals as it was.
Swansea (2016/17)
Goals from free-kicks (excluding direct shots): 9
No Premier League club since 2012 has scored more goals from non-direct free-kick scenarios in a single campaign than Swansea managed in 2016/17.
The Swans had to rely on their wits just to stay in the top flight that season and in Gylfi Sigurdsson had a set-piece master. The Icelandic star joined Everton in a deal worth up to £45m ahead of the following campaign and Swansea lost a huge asset and were relegated in 2018.
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Source: 90min
