The Alternative Premier League Table: No 37 - Fouls won and conceded from corners

AFC BournemouthArsenalAston VillaBrentfordBrighton & Hove AlbionBurnleyChelseaCrystal PalaceEvertonFulhamLeeds UnitedLiverpoolManchester CityManchester UnitedNewcastle UnitedNottingham ForestSunderlandTottenham HotspurWest Ham UnitedWolverhampton WanderersScores & ScheduleStandingsFantasyThe Athletic FC NewsletterPodcasts Design: Demetrius Robinson/The Athletic; Photo: Alex Pantling /Getty Images Share articleWelcome to the latest edition of The Alternative Premier League Table, where each week, The Athletic analyses the entire division through a specific lens. After looking at big chance creation and conversion last week, we will now, following events in east London last Sunday, dive into fouls won and conceded from corners. As usual, the article that follows is long but detailed, so please settle down and enjoy it all — or jump to a specific few clubs that your are interested in. Anyway, if you haven’t heard already: Premier League corners are broken. Inswingers, blocking the goalkeeper, wrestling in multiple parts of the box and several missed fouls seem to accompany most corners these days. The need for better legislation and stricter officiating to prevent moments that have become all-too-familiar is not lost on anyone. So, this week’s Alternative Table will dive into fouls conceded within 10 seconds of a team’s attacking corner and fouls won within 10 seconds of a team defending a corner. Key takeaways include: !function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("[id='datawrapper-chart-voc7f']");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r Please note, all data is correct before Manchester City vs Crystal Palace on May 13 West Ham were left aggrieved by the VAR decision to disallow Callum Wilson’s late equaliser against Arsenal. Pablo did foul David Raya but the wrestling around a packed six-yard box included at least one other potential offence that went unpunished. It was the 11th time West Ham have been punished for a foul within 10 seconds of their own corner, with only four other teams having more. Each of their previous two had been for fouls on the goalkeeper too, with Pablo penalised for harrying Emiliano Martinez after the latter claimed the ball and Soungoutou Magassa pushing Djordje Petrovic while the Bournemouth goalkeeper punched the ball out. West Ham are also one of only three teams (alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur) to not win a foul within 10 seconds of their own corners. Arsenal are level with West Ham in fouls conceded within 10 seconds of their own corners on 11. The most recent example came in the 2-0 win over Everton when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall found himself on the floor even before the corner was delivered. Mikel Arteta’s side are middle of the road for fouls won from defensive corners on nine. Prior to the West Ham reprieve, Marc Guehi was whistled for a push on Cristhian Mosquera during Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat at the Etihad. Only Aston Villa goalkeeper Martinez (17) has won more fouls among goalkeepers than David Raya’s 13. Arsenal are the only team in Europe’s top five leagues yet to concede a penalty in league play in 2025-26. Most of that is down to their excellent defensive foundations, but they have been fortunate that decisions like the one against West Ham have gone in their favour at times too. Villa have won a league-high 18 fouls within 10 seconds of an opponent’s corner. They also lead the league in total fouls won within their own penalty area with 50, four clear of second-placed Sunderland. In their 1-0 loss to Fulham, Timothy Castagne scored from a corner only for it to be chalked off for a foul by Sander Berge on Martinez. Villa have often allowed Martinez to wrestle with an opposition player on his own rather than use a defender to provide cover for him to reduce the congestion close to their goalkeeper and give him a chance of winning fouls, which he has done. There have been moments where it has not worked, such as in December when Arsenal got both centre-backs to position themselves in Martinez’s vicinity. The Villa goalkeeper swatted at the ball but couldn’t stop Gabriel from bundling it over. Everton have competed in the second-most aerial duels across the pitch in 2025-26 (40.5 per 90 minutes) and won them at the second-best rate too (55 per cent). This is a team built to win headers, so it is no surprise that they rank high in both categories within this table. James Tarkowski leads all outfielders in fouls won in their own penalty box with 11 (level with Jan Paul van Hecke of Brighton & Hove Albion). Jordan Pickford has been commanding from corners too, with Everton often providing him cover against opposition players in his zone. There have also been plenty of instances of Idrissa Gueye or Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall being pushed near the penalty spot to earn Everton free kicks. Tarkowski has been important at the other end too, winning 1.2 aerial duels per 90 in the attacking penalty box, the fourth most among players with 900 or more minutes. Micheal Keane (1.1 per 90) and Thierno Barry (1.0) also make the top seven. Newcastle conceding 13 fouls within 10 seconds of their attacking corners (the joint most) is somewhat explained by their vulnerability on the counter. Only Burnley (7.3) have conceded more expected goals from fast breaks than Newcastle’s 7.2. Some of their fouls have been on the opposition goalkeeper too, with Malick Thiaw’s disallowed goal against Sunderland a standout example after Jacob Murphy fouled Robin Roefs. Newcastle have struggled to win aerial duels from opposition corners, often being outmuscled in the air to concede 10 times from these situations. No team has contested more aerial duels in their own penalty area than Crystal Palace’s 6.9 per 90. Yet they are the team with the fewest fouls conceded within 10 seconds of their opponents’ corners, with just four. One of those came in this month’s 3-0 loss to Bournemouth when Dean Henderson collected a corner but collided with Jaydee Canvot before fouling Marcos Senesi. Eli Junior Kroupi scored from the resulting penalty. In March, Will Hughes handled a Leeds corner but Dominic Calvert-Lewin shot wide from the spot. At the other end, Palace have won three fouls from their own corners, the joint highest with Burnley and Manchester United. One of those was a goal-line handball by Neco Williams to deny Jefferson Lerma’s header in February. Another was won by Guehi, who was dragged to the floor by Bournemouth’s Bafode Diakite from an overhit corner that sailed over everyone. Bournemouth have one of the league’s worst set-piece records, creating just 6.1xG from corners (fourth worst) while conceding 10 times from them (only better than three other teams). Their 45 per cent aerial duel success rate across both penalty boxes ranks bottom of the league. One of the reasons it has not affected a campaign that could end with qualification for European football is their knowledge of how to push physical limits from set pieces without fouling. Bournemouth have conceded only seven fouls from both their own and opposition corners, a mark bettered only by Palace (five). They have also won 10 fouls from corners on either end, ranking mid-table in that regard. Before Senesi’s foul won against Palace, Evanilson earned a penalty against Aston Villa by heading a corner onto Morgan Rogers’ hand at the far post only for Antoine Semenyo to see the resulting penalty saved by Martinez. Manchester City rank near the bottom for fouls conceded within 10 seconds of their attacking corners. Most of those fouls have come from physical duels in the box but a few have emerged from frustration too. In the 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion in January, Erling Haaland fouled Van Hecke after Ferdi Kadioglu cleared a City shot off the goal-line. Against Bournemouth in November, Jeremy Doku fouled David Brooks after being dispossessed on the left side of the box by Diakite. At the other end, City have won just five fouls within 10 seconds of an opposition corner, the joint-second lowest. Part of this is down to them facing just 3.7 corners per 90, only behind Arsenal’s 3.3, but their squad is better equipped to deal with physicality than in previous seasons, with even Haaland contributing in defending these situations across the second half of the season. The most controversial decision in this regard came in the 3-0 win over Liverpool in November when Andrew Robertson was adjudged to be offside and affecting Gianluigi Donnarumma when Virgil van Dijk scored from a corner. Tottenham, along with Villa, are the only team yet to win a penalty in this season’s Premier League. They have been excellent from corners, though, scoring 17 goals, their highest in the last eight seasons and nearly double the nine from 2024-25. That is despite ranking 14th in aerial duel success rate in the attacking penalty box this season on 42 per cent, only a shade higher than Bournemouth. That has contributed to them winning just six combined fouls from corners in both boxes, the joint fewest with Brentford and Manchester City. Spurs have committed only one foul from a defensive corner. That came in a 2-2 draw at Newcastle in December when Rodrigo Bentancur hauled Dan Burn down, with Anthony Gordon scoring the resulting penalty. Only Villa (18) have won more fouls within 10 seconds of an opposition’s corner than Fulham’s 15. Two of those came from two corners within two minutes of each other in a 3-1 win over Brentford in September. Bernd Leno was the victim both times, impeded by Kevin Schade and then Igor Thiago. Harry Wilson won another foul from a corner three minutes later when blocked off by Nathan Collins with the ball in the air. At the other end, Fulham have conceded eight fouls from their own corners. Sander Berge, often tasked with distracting the opposing goalkeeper, has fouled Martinez, Martin Dubravka, Dean Henderson, Donnarumma and Roefs. Van Hecke leads Brighton in fouls committed in the attacking penalty area with seven. Three of those — against Chelsea, Fulham and Aston Villa — have come for fouls made on the goalkeeper after they had claimed a corner, preventing those teams from counter-attacking at pace. Van Hecke also leads the team in fouls won in the defensive penalty area with 11, seven more than Kadioglu in second place. The centre-back often guards the opposition’s tallest players at the near post and in the six-yard box. On multiple occasions, he has been pushed over with the ball still approaching the box. Van Hecke is great in the air, winning 67 per cent of his aerial duels in his own penalty box through well-timed leaps and excellent positioning. Like Van Hecke, Ibrahima Konate has needed to be strong and physical in the penalty area while defending corners, winning eight fouls in his own box. Liverpool have struggled overall from these situations, though, conceding nine times from corners. Too often, they have not been situationally smart or well positioned to win fouls after winning the first header. Matheus Cunha’s opener for Manchester United at Old Trafford was the latest example of that issue. Wolves, Spurs, Leeds, United (at Anfield) and Crystal Palace have all hurt them from similar situations. Liverpool’s eight goals scored from corners is bettered by nine teams, but seven of those have come in 2026, with only Spurs (eight) managing more this calendar year. United’s improvements from corners this season have shown at both ends. They are middle of the road for fouls conceded (10) within 10 seconds of their attacking corners, while only five teams have won more than their 10 fouls within 10 seconds of defensive corners. Harry Maguire and Benjamin Sesko have been imposing in the opponent’s penalty area, winning 74 and 80 per cent of their aerial duels respectively, while Casemiro has proved deadly from set pieces. Mason Mount won their only penalty from corners, having been wrestled to the floor by Calvin Bassey in a 1-1 draw with Fulham in August. Bassey was involved at the other end when Rodrigo Muniz put the ball into his own net from Leny Yoro’s header after the defender had seemingly pushed Bassey with both hands. The contact was viewed as minimal and the goal stood. At the other end, Senne Lammens has won only four fouls but has commanded his area brilliantly. Maguire has won eight fouls in his own box — all in this calendar year — while Casemiro has won six. Discipline from corners has been a concern for Leeds, who have won a league-low four fouls within 10 seconds of opposition corners while conceding a league-high four fouls within 10 seconds of defensive corners. The most painful example of the latter was by Brenden Aaronson against Newcastle in January, with his side 3-2 up at the death. Aaronson handled a cross in the second phase from Lewis Hall, giving away a penalty that Newcastle converted before finding a winner late on too. Leeds have also won two fouls within 10 seconds of their attacking corners too. Spurs forward Mathys Tel’s foul on Ethan Ampadu on Monday followed Will Hughes’ handball from an Anton Stach corner in a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace in March. Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted against Spurs but missed against Palace. Chelsea’s improvement from set pieces has seen them show some maturity, with only seven fouls conceded within 10 seconds of their own corners, better than all but four teams. Their 22 total fouls in the opposition penalty box is the least in the league, while their eight fouls won rank second behind Brentford (10). Only one of those came from a corner and that was Jesse Derry’s worrying collision with Nottingham Forest’s Zach Abbott this month when leaping for a second ball. Cole Palmer saw the resulting penalty saved by Matz Sels. At the other end, Robert Sanchez is level with David Raya for fouls won in his own box with 13. While not the safest handler in previous seasons, Sanchez has claimed corners quite well, often being fouled on the back of that by a player rushing into him or aiming to prevent him from kickstarting a counter-attack. Chelsea have had a few close shaves in both boxes. Reece James brought down Malick Thiaw when Newcastle visited Stamford Bridge, with James not looking at the ball and solely focused on Thiaw, but no penalty was given. In a 2-1 loss to Arsenal a few weeks earlier, Declan Rice seemed to handle a corner while competing with Jorrel Hato, but once again, a spot kick was not awarded. Brentford have won the joint-fewest fouls within 10 seconds of a defensive corner but a big reason for that is their organisation makes them almost impenetrable. Despite conceding 5.2 corners per 90, the seventh-most, they have allowed only four goals, the joint fewest alongside Arsenal. Their aggression in attacking corners has also meant they have committed 12 fouls within 10 seconds of their own corners, only behind Everton and Newcastle (13 each). Brentford have made several more from Michael Kayode’s long throws too. Their 10 penalties won is the most in the league but only two emerged from corners and both came in August. Ibrahim Sangare handled the ball from the second phase in a 3-1 opening-matchday defeat at Nottingham Forest, while Nathan Collins was wrestled to the floor by Reinildo in their 2-1 loss to Sunderland two weeks later. Burnley have won three fouls within 10 seconds of their own corners, the joint highest with Manchester United and Palace. The most notable of those was against Newcastle in December when Zian Flemming’s back-heeled shot struck Jacob Ramsey’s hand. Flemming converted the resulting penalty, a consolation in a 2-1 loss. In the other box, VAR intervened to disallow a Lisandro Martinez goal in a 2-2 home draw with Manchester United. Martinez was penalised for pushing Kyle Walker, though there were questions over how much contact there actually was. Burnley’s 12 combined fouls won from corners on either end is behind just four teams — Villa, Fulham, Everton and United. Forest, despite their struggles, have had a backline proficient in the air, helping them win 11 fouls from opposition corners. Nikola Milenkovic, who guards the middle of the six-yard box from corners, leads the team in fouls won in their own box with seven. Sels has added five, one of which came from a corner in the 3-1 home loss to Leeds when Ampadu fouled him as the ball came in. Like every team, they have been on both sides of VAR decisions too. In the 2-1 home loss to Manchester City, Morgan Gibbs-White claimed a foul by Nico O’Reilly in the lead-up to Rayan Cherki’s winner from the second phase of a corner. VAR took a look but ruled that there was no foul with both players having arms on each other. In Forest’s 3-0 win over Liverpool, Murillo scored from the second phase of a corner. Dan Ndoye seemed to be offside and in Alisson’s line of vision, but the goal stood. VAR clarified that Ndoye did not obstruct Alisson’s vision and did not make an action that impacted his opponent. Sunderland have not been the most accurate from corners, with only Bournemouth (22) and Burnley (26) recording fewer successful crosses from corners than their 30. They have defended them well, though, with their 46 fouls won in their own box only trailing Aston Villa, while they have also won 10 fouls from opponents’ corners. Dan Ballard and Omar Alderete have been excellent in attacking and winning the first ball from these situations, while Roefs has marshalled his area well. There have been a few nervy moments too, the biggest of which came in their 1-0 win at Leeds. As a corner came in, Luke O’Nien was wrestling with Pascal Struijk, who went down and appealed for the penalty. The ball was cleared before it got to that area, and play went on. Replays showed O’Nien had his hands around Struijk’s neck, but VAR did not intervene. Along with West Ham and Spurs, one of whom will join them in the Championship, Wolves have not won a foul within 10 seconds of their own corner. They have won 10 fouls from the same situation at the other end, though. Goalkeeper David Bentley was the victim twice in the 3-0 loss to Brighton, first being pushed over by Danny Welbeck and then being caught by Carlos Baleba after claiming a corner and rushing forward. First-choice goalkeeper Jose Sa and midfielder Andre both ended in their own net from a Crystal Palace corner in February, too. Wolves have not had much to complain about with respect to VAR decisions from corners. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms