With the Premier League about to start up again, you should be packing your fantasy football team with as many set piece specialists as possible. Luckily for you, we’ve provided an extensive list of the league’s best penalty and free-kick scorers of each club ahead of 2020/21. SIGN UP FOR DREAM TEAM 2020/21 HERE ARSENAL […]
With the Premier League about to start up again, you should be packing your fantasy football team with as many set piece specialists as possible.
Luckily for you, we’ve provided an extensive list of the league’s best penalty and free-kick scorers of each club ahead of 2020/21.
Penalties: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (3/3 in 2019/20), Nicolas Pepe (2/2 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Nicolas Pepe, Willian
Part of the allure of picking up Aubameyang for your Dream Team – not least because he’s one of the world’s best strikers and a lethal goal-scorer, netting 22 times in the Premier League last season – is that he’s the Gunners’ chief penalty-taker and he enjoyed a perfect record last term.
Well, kind of, as he did have a penalty saved in a 2-2 draw with Norwich back in December last year… but that doesn’t count as it was then re-taken – and scored – after encroachment from Norwich’s players.
In terms of free-kicks, new boy Willian is still one of the best dead ball specialists around although he netted just once from a direct free-kick last season – that wonderful strike in Chelsea’s defeat to West Ham.
Penalties: Jack Grealish, Anwar El Ghazi (1/1 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Jack Grealish, Conor Hourihane
As Villa’s talisman, Grealish will likely step up when it comes to penalties and free-kicks, although Hourihane appears to be the genuine set-piece expert in the squad.
In terms of penalties, the only notable spot-kick from last season was El Ghazi’s consolation when Villa lost 6-1 to Man City.
Penalties: Neal Maupay (1/2 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Pascal Gross, Lewis Dunk
Just a 50% record for Maupay from the spot last season, with Kasper Schmeichel keeping him out at the last minute of Brighton’s 0-0 with Leicester in June.
Gross and, quite brilliantly, Dunk, both scored from free-kicks last season.
Penalties: Chris Wood (1/1 in 2019/20), Ashley Barnes (1/1 in 2019/20), Jay Rodriguez (1/1 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Dwight McNeil, Robbie Brady
It seems Burnley’s strikers only take penalties that they win themselves, hence why Wood, Barnes and Rodriguez shared them out last season.
McNeil, their chief set-piece taker, rarely scores from direct free-kicks (unlike his teammate Brady, who’s netted some absolute bangers in his time) but he’s more than capable of picking up assists with his delivery.
Penalties: Jorginho (2/2 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Mason Mount
While he doesn’t score too many goals from open play, Jorginho is one of the Prem’s most lethal penalty-takers – often deploying his unconventional style when slotting home.
The Blues also have a rich pool of free-kick takers, with Mount notably scoring a peach in Chelsea’s last game of the season against Wolves and Ziyech famously netting an incredible free-kick in the Champions League against Chelsea.
Penalties: Luka Milivojevic (2/2 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Luka Milivojevic, Patrick van Aanholt
On his day, Milivojevic is the best free-kick taker in the Premier League.
While he only netted from the spot twice last season – in what was a disappointing campaign all round for the Serbian – he scored an unbelievable 10 penalties in the Premier League in 2018/19 – the second-most in the league’s history.
Penalties: Gylfi Sigurdsson (2/2 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Gylfi Sigurdsson, Lucas Digne, James Rodriguez
Yep, we’ve jumped the gun and added James to our list of Everton’s free-kick takers – he hasn’t signed on the dotted line just yet, but it looks likely, doesn’t it?
Digne is an interesting one too, as there hasn’t really been a left-back capable of scoring goals from free-kicks since, um, Everton’s very own Leighton Baines!
Penalties: Aleksandar Mitrovic (4/5 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Aleksandar Mitrovic, Neeskens Kebano, Anthony Knockaert, Tom Cairney, Joe Bryan
Four goals from the spot in the Championship last season gives Mitrovic some extra Dream Team credibility.
There’s certainly some free-kick specialists in Fulham’s ranks, with the standout name being Bryan – who’s only scored two free-kicks in the last three seasons but one of them happened to be worth £150million when he netted against Brentford from 35 yards out in the Play-off final.
Penalties: Mateusz Klich (2/1 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Kalvin Phillips, Barry Douglas, Pablo Hernandez
His miss against Derby last season was well-documented, but Klich is still renowned as Leeds main penalty taker and he’ll be keen to test himself in the Premier League this term.
Penalties: Jamie Vardy (4/5 in 2019/20), Ayoze Perez (1/1 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: James Maddison, Youri Tielemans
Last season’s Golden Boot winner added four goals from the spot last term, while Perez appears to only be an option when the former England striker is on the bench.
Penalties: James Milner (3/3 in 2019/20), Mohamed Salah (3/3 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, Jordan Henderson
Despite his advancing years, Milner is still a big player in Liverpool’s side and is very much their main man from the penalty spot – although Salah has proven just as nifty from 12-yards out.
In terms of free-kick scorers, there’s few more talented in the Prem than Alexander-Arnold.
Penalties: Kevin De Bruyne (4/4 in 2019/20), Sergio Aguero (3/1 in 2o19/20), Ilkay Gundogan (2/1 in 2019/20), Riyad Mahrez (1/1 in 2019/20), Gabriel Jesus (0/2 in 2019/20), Raheem Sterling (0/2 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Kevin De Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez
When it comes to penalties and free-kicks, look no further than De Bruyne who’s proven more than adept at converting both into goals.
City in fact do have some very good penalty scorers in their ranks, although we’re not overly sure how confident Pep Guardiola will be the next time Jesus or Sterling step up to the job.
Penalties: Bruno Fernandes (13/13 in 2019/20, which includes six for Sporting), Paul Pogba (0/1 in 2019/20), Marcus Rashford (7/9 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Juan Mata
United get A LOT of penalties, it seems, and they might be getting even more next season with the inclusion of Van de Beek – who won plenty in his time at Ajax.
Bruno is the undisputed penalty king at the moment while Rashford isn’t too bad himself.
Rashy is also one of the league’s best free-kick takers – memorably scoring a sublime free-kick winner against Chelsea last season.
Penalties: Matt Ritchie (0/1 in 2019/20), Miguel Almiron
Free-kicks: Jonjo Shelvey, Matt Ritchie
Newcastle probably won’t be your main source of penalty goals this season – just look at those stats – although Shelvey is one of Prem’s more talented set-piece takers and scored a lovely free-kick against West Ham last term.
Penalties: Oliver Norwood (1/1 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Oliver Norwood, John Fleck
You’ll mostly be picking Sheffield United’s excellent defenders for your Dream Team, as their back-line is among the league’s best, but in Norwood they have a very talented set-piece man – capable of taking both penalties and free-kicks.
Penalties: James Ward-Prowse (1/3 in 2019/20), Danny Ings (1/1 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: James Ward-Prowse
Much like Norwood at Sheffield United, Southampton have a main man when it comes to both penalties and free-kicks in Ward-Prowse, whose delivery is widely regarded.
Penalties: Harry Kane (4/4 in 2019/20), Son Heung-min (1/2 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Erik Lamela, Son Heung-min, Giovanni Lo Celso
If it’s penalty goals you want, then look no further than Spurs’ main man Kane.
In terms of free-kicks, Spurs are missing Christian Eriksen but they still have a few names willing to get behind set-pieces.
Penalties: Charlie Austin (4/4 in 2019/20), Hal Robson-Kanu (1/1 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Matheus Pereira, Matt Phillips
Austin could be a dark horse on Dream Team next season as the West Brom striker has proven in the past to be a capable Premier League goal getter.
And in Pereira they have one of the most exciting South American talents in the league.
Penalties: Mark Noble (3/3 in 2019/20), Michail Antonio (1/1 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Manuel Lanzini, Aaron Cresswell
The Hammers captain Noble is still their main penalty taker and is widely regarded as one of the best in Premier League history (no, really).
Cresswell was a surprise name in our best goal-scoring defenders list and is best remembered for his stunning free-kick against Man United last season.
Penalties: Raul Jimenenz (6/7 in 2019/20), Ruben Neves (1/1 in 2019/20)
Free-kicks: Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho
Just the one miss for Jimenez last season – but it just so happened to be one of the most costly penalty misses of the season, as it came in a crunch Europa League clash with Sevilla.
Neves has scored just 15 goals for Wolves since joining them in 2017, but they’re always wild strikes from long-range, including the odd free-kick.
He’s always one to consider.
