When building a Fantasy Premier League squad, knowing the set-piece takers for each club can give managers the edge over mini-league rivals.
Ahead of 2019/20, The Scout analyses which players to target.
Newcastle United
The dead-ball delivery of Matt Ritchie (£5.5m) can be a big influence on Newcastle this season especially after a reassignment of position.
The Magpies' first choice for corner kicks, Ritchie produced four assists last term from set-pieces.
That total matched those of Eden Hazard and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.0m) in FPL and was surpassed by only five other players.
Ritchie's underlying statistics back up his potential for assists.
Newcastle's set-piece takers
| Choice | Penalty | Corner | Free-kick |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | Ritchie | Ritchie | Shelvey |
| Second | - | Ki | Schar |
| Third | - | Shelvey | - |
The 29-year-old created 24 chances from set-pieces in 2018/19, more than double the tally of any team-mate.
Penalty success
His role as No 1 for penalties for Newcastle helped him further. The Scotland international took two of their three spot-kicks, converting one of his attempts.
And his reassignment as a defender in Fantasy will only add to his potential, since he will now get an extra point for goals scored than he did as a midfielder.
Kenedy took the other penalty but has returned to his parent club Chelsea.
Ultimately, Ritchie scored twice and supplied eight assists last season.
This means 50 per cent of his contributions came from dead-ball situations.
Free-kick questions
Salomon Rondon's return to his parent club, West Bromwich Albion, means some uncertainty over Newcastle's free-kick taker in 2019/20.
The on-loan striker was the Magpies' first choice last season and fired nine attempts, scoring once.
Centre-back Fabian Schar (£5.0m) also offered a big threat at set-pieces.
The Swiss international produced 14 shots and scored two of his four goals this way.
Schar took one direct free-kick too, and his potential for more goals could be boosted if he takes over duties from Rondon.