{"id":452383,"date":"2026-03-01T18:38:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T18:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/452383\/"},"modified":"2026-03-01T18:38:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T18:38:15","slug":"wirtz-injury-latest-ekitike-haul-set-piece-strengths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/452383\/","title":{"rendered":"Wirtz injury latest, Ekitike haul + set-piece strengths"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the three 3pm thrillers on Saturday saw Liverpool see off West Ham United 5-2.<\/p>\n

And here are our Scout Notes from Anfield.<\/p>\n

WIRTZ INJURY LATEST<\/p>\n

As expected, there was no Florian Wirtz (\u00a38.3m) in the Liverpool squad on Saturday.<\/p>\n

It sounds like we won\u2019t see him in Gameweek 29, either \u2013 and maybe even beyond that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that will be too early, but I said last week I didn\u2019t expect him not to be available for today, so sometimes with an injury things can develop in a positive way or in a negative way. Now we are thinking it doesn\u2019t have to take too long, but Tuesday will probably be too early. The week after will be tight as things stand now, but as I said, I thought that he would be available for today as well, which didn\u2019t happen unfortunately.\u201d \u2013 Arne Slot on Florian Wirtz<\/p>\n

In Wirtz\u2019s absence, we saw Alexis Mac Allister (\u00a36.2m) and Dominik Szoboszlai (\u00a36.8m) interchange as the \u201910\u2019 in Liverpool\u2019s set-up.<\/p>\n

\"injury<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t lead to much more threat from the Hungarian; he had just one penalty box touch and didn\u2019t have a single shot.<\/p>\n

Both midfielders\u2019 attacking returns came from set pieces, indeed.<\/p>\n

LIVERPOOL\u2019S NEW SET-PIECE STRENGTHS?<\/p>\n

Speaking of which, are Liverpool the new Arsenal?<\/p>\n

The Reds struggled with set-pieces at both ends of the field in the first half of the campaign but there\u2019s been an about-turn in 2026.<\/p>\n

Three of their five goals on Saturday came from set plays, taking their total to nine in six Gameweeks:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Above: Premier League teams sorted by fewest set-piece goals scored in Gameweeks 1-22 (left) and most set-piece goals scored in Gameweeks 23-28 (right)<\/p>\n

The improvement coincides with the departure of Aaron Briggs and a more prominent role for set-piece analyst Lewis Mahoney.<\/a><\/p>\n

But Arne Slot was quick to avoid the Briggs-bashing and instead highlighted the role of variance. There might be some truth in that: Liverpool\u2019s nine set-piece goals in the last six Gameweeks have come from an xG of 2.92!<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve created quite a lot of [set-piece] chances in the first half of the season that constantly did not go in, or too many times did not go in with being unlucky. We were a lot of times very close. And even today, we conceded the set-piece, they scored one and they could have scored a second one in the first half \u2013 that would have been the first one, but you know what I mean.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe one or two small details have changed defensively and offensively, I think we are set up slightly, slightly different. But the biggest reason is that things go back to normal.\u201d \u2013 Arne Slot on the improvement at set plays<\/p>\n

Hugo Ekitike (\u00a39.0m), Virgil van Dijk (\u00a36.1m) and Alexis Mac Allister (\u00a36.2m) all netted from corners on Saturday, although Ekitike\u2019s is a tenuous inclusion as it was a recycled set play.<\/p>\n

That was van Dijk\u2019s third successive attacking return, taking him \u2013 temporarily at least \u2013 third in the FPL defender points standings.<\/p>\n

Despite the set-piece goals, there was nothing for Mohamed Salah (\u00a314.0m), who took more corners (six) and delivered more crosses (nine) than anyone. The Egyptian also had three shots. He even finished as Liverpool\u2019s top player for expected goal involvement (xGI, 0.49), yet no dice.<\/p>\n

As for Ekitike, the underlying numbers have been there in recent weeks, just not the tangible Fantasy returns. He finally delivered those on Saturday. Where luck has perhaps evaded him in the last six Gameweeks, here two of his three attacking returns came via deflections (his goal and the one he assisted for Cody Gakpo (\u00a37.3m)). Swings and roundabouts.<\/p>\n

A 15-point haul in the bag, he was even taken off early, furthering the likelihood \u2013 as if there was any doubt with the current injury situation \u2013 that he\u2019ll start in midweek.<\/p>\n

FRIMPONG TO START IN GAMEWEEK 29?<\/p>\n

Speaking of changes for Gameweek 29, there likely won\u2019t be that many given the shortage of alternatives.<\/p>\n

There could be two alterations at full-back, however, with Jeremie Frimpong (\u00a35.7m) marking his comeback from injury with a fitness-building cameo here. He forced the own-goal for Liverpool\u2019s fifth strike.<\/p>\n

Good news for Szoboszlai, then, with Liverpool having fit right-back options to lessen the need for him to play there.<\/p>\n

POSITIVES FOR WEST HAM\"\"<\/p>\n

The scoreline suggested a fairly comfortable victory for Liverpool but it wasn\u2019t really that routine. The xG race above is testament to that.<\/p>\n

The Reds had the rub of the green, with three of their goals going in off West Ham players.<\/p>\n

Konstantinos Mavropanos (\u00a34.4m), Jarrod Bowen (\u00a37.5m) and Tomas Soucek (\u00a35.7m) could all have scored before Soucek and Taty Castellanos (\u00a35.5m) did, while Crysencio Summerville (\u00a35.7m) was again electric down the West Ham left, going close on a couple of occasions.<\/p>\n

Bowen, much less of a threat than his fellow winger, nevertheless walked away with returns: an assist for Taty\u2019s header and more DefCon points.<\/p>\n

Some continual encouraging signs for the Hammers, then, despite the heavy-ish defeat.<\/p>\n

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