Michael Carrick says Premier League set-piece tactics have ‘gone too far’ | OneFootball

Manchester United interim head coach Michael Carrick has weighed in on the Premier League set-piece debate, saying that jostling and grappling in the box during corners has “gone too far”.

An increase in goals from set-pieces has been a major theme of this season, with more dead-ball goals scored in the 2025-26 campaign so far than in the entirety of last season.

Table-topping Arsenal have led the trend and scored another two from corners in their 2-1 win over Chelsea this weekend.

But the trend has also led to concern at some clubs, with Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler accusing Arsenal of time-wasting during corner deliveries and throw-ins, while Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said that overreliance on set-pieces has decreased “joy” in top-flight games.

Carrick said on Tuesday that the increased jostling for position and holding in the box during set-pieces has “gone too far”.

Speaking ahead of United’s visit to Newcastle on Wednesday night, he said: “I think it’s gone too far. It wasn’t long ago we were told you couldn’t lay a hand on anyone in the box and we were told it would be clamped down. It’s crept in, the success of corners and being able to put bodies close together has made more teams do it.

“It’s understandable why there are so many teams doing it and trying it. As a game, it doesn’t feel like we’ve got that balance right. I don’t know what to do about it, it’s not for me to decide.

“In the meantime, you got to deal with what's in front of you, and if it's allowed, then you got to play to it.”

Ian Maxwell, the director of football’s lawmaking body, the International Football Association Board (Ifab), acknowledged the issue of grappling at corners in a recent press conference but said it had not been specifically discussed.

Ifab will introduce a five-second countdown for referees to enforce at throw-ins and goal-kicks when players are judged to be taking too long, but there is no plan to expand the rules to include corners.