Premier League Set-Piece Specialists: Who Takes Penalties and Corners for Every Club in 2026/27

With Harry Wilson swapping Fulham for Leeds, Elliot Anderson moving from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City, and Mohamed Salah gone from Liverpool, the names you trust from 12 yards need a fresh look before the fixtures kick off.

Why dead-ball data moves the needle

Set pieces aren't a sideshow. RotoWire's tracker notes that corners account for roughly a quarter of all Premier League goals across a full season, direct free kicks add between 0.05 and 0.10 expected goals per attempt, and a penalty converts at around 0.76 xG on average. Translated into squad-building language: the player first in line from the spot at your club is one of the few roles that rarely goes quiet across 38 matchdays.

The 2026/27 penalty pecking order

The clearest calls, per RotoWire's tracking data and pre-season confirmation:

• Erling Haaland (Manchester City) — first in line without ambiguity. City are built to draw spot kicks at a higher rate than almost any side in the division.
• Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) — the broadest set-piece footprint in the league: penalties, corners and direct free kicks all run through him.
• Cole Palmer (Chelsea) — likely first-choice under new manager Xabi Alonso, given his historical conversion rate.
• Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool) — set to battle Alexander Isak for duties now that Salah has departed.
• Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) — usually first for penalties when fit, likely to share corners with Declan Rice. Viktor Gyokeres remains a serious rival.
• Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) — confirmed ahead of Ismaila Sarr.
• Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest) — first-choice when fit, ahead of Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus.
• Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) — primary ahead of James Garner after two converted penalties in 2025/26.
• Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United) — six of his 14 league goals in Leeds' top-flight return came from the spot.
• Pascal Gross (Brighton) — steps into the role after Danny Welbeck's move to Chelsea.

What to track through the season

Set-piece hierarchies don't sit still. Injuries, tactical tweaks and a change of mood from the bench will rewrite the order before autumn, let alone spring — and corners shift just as quickly as penalties. RotoWire flags Anderson's switch to City as one of the more intriguing moves, given the 87 corners he delivered for Forest last season. Arsenal's delivery is another live question, with Saka and Rice expected to share the workload.

The opening weekend won't settle everything. Liverpool looks like a genuine Szoboszlai-versus-Isak fight, and Arsenal's spot will hinge on whether Saka or Gyokeres starts. RotoWire plans to keep the guide updated throughout the campaign, so it's worth a quick check before every deadline — particularly if you're weighing a differential or deciding whether a mid-priced forward earns the bench slot.