Talking Tactics

How Man City use short corners to feed Haaland

By Adrian Clarke 11 Dec 2022
Erling Haaland, Man City v Crystal Palace

Adrian Clarke casts the spotlight on the champions as he highlights clubs' set-piece strengths

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Adrian Clarke analyses the Premier League's most successful teams in creating goals from corner kicks in 2022/23.

Manchester City

Three of Man City's seven goals from corners have stemmed from quickly-taken short corners that began with a 2v1 situation.

Putting two men over the ball as a matter of course, the champions are the team most likely to change the angle of the cross or improvise from a restart.

The most eye-catching example was the sensational move that carved open Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium.

It began with a 2v1 started by Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva (both circled yellow).

Man City MCICRY 1

Bernardo played a great one-two with Julian Alvarez to get towards the byline.

From there, he cut the ball back to John Stones, who flicked the ball to Erling Haaland, and the Norwegian scored with a tap-in at the far post.

Man City MCICRY 2

The presence of Haaland in the box gives City justifiable confidence. He has scored five goals from corners this term.

Meanwhile, De Bruyne is the second most-accurate corner-taker in the league. 

Top players for corner accuracy
Player Corners into box Success %
S. Greenwood 10 60.0
De Bruyne 31 51.6
Trippier 60 50.0
Pereira 48 50.0
Moutinho 12 50.0
Fernandes 10 50.0

With their quality from wide areas, their penalty-box poacher and their invention from short corners, Man City can keep their opponents guessing and hurt them in a variety of ways from these set-pieces.

Also in this series

Part 1: Why goals from corners are heading for a record high
Part 2: How Spurs free Kane to score from corners
Part 3: How Fulham use blockers to capitalise from corners
Part 5: Why Liverpool are the kings of the outswinging corner
Part 6: Why Arsenal are a nightmare for goalkeepers from corners
Part 7: Which clubs are best at defending corners and why

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