Premier League corners: Step-by-step guide on how to score with football's newest craze

During the first half of the season, current Premier League champions Liverpool were left in the dust by a new wave of tactics in the top flight, with the Reds unable to win the fight against long throw-ins and corner kicks.

Since then, it has been a case of 'if you cannot beat them, join them' for the holders and head coach Arne Slot, who recently revealed that he has suffered 'football heartbreak' from the way that gameplans in England's top flight are progressing.

After donning the role of an angry pedestrian a few months ago, Liverpool are well and truly on the set-piece bandwagon right now, with the Reds scoring on three occasions from corners during their 5-2 battering of West Ham United at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

The infixation of Premier League clubs on anti-purist tactics is impossible to ignore, so here Sports Mole provides a step-by-step guide on how to join the corner-kick craze.

STEP 1 - INSWINGERS ARE KING

Focusing on that Anfield match between Liverpool and West Ham, Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah and Jarrod Bowen all delivered inswinging corners that led to goals during a seven-striker thriller on Merseyside.

The latest corner-kick tactics are more of a numbers game than a beautiful art - to the annoyance of Slot and others - with an inswinging delivery instantly putting the ball onto the desired path into the opposition's goal.

The direction of the ball heading towards the net initially means that the offensive players tussling for position in a crowded box do not require a perfect connection on the first or second contact, with oftentimes a little flick enough to complete the job.

There is also less pressure placed on offensive players to generate significant power on their headers, important considering that fewer attackers are now employing the traditional longer run-ups from the edge of the 18-yard box.

STEP 2 - WHIPPED BEATS LOFTED

Leading on from the previous point, there is now a greater emphasis on corner-kick takers to provide plenty of pace with their delivery, especially if the desired route to net is via a first contact at the near post.

With up to 10 players packed into the six-yard box, there is little chance for offensive players to generate power with their contacts, as they have sacrificed a lengthy run-up for a prime position in front of net.

A whipped delivery also comes with the advantage of being harder to claim for onrushing goalkeepers, as well as creating a speed of play which can often led to muddled feet or heads in the backline and subsequent own goals.

An exception to this general rule applies when an attacking team is looking to score via a second contact, in which case the corner can be dropped towards the back post, where a top aerial threat - such as Arsenal's William Saliba - might direct the ball across the goal for a teammate.

STEP 3 - CROWD THE SIX-YARD BOX

Gone are the days of the attacking team's centre-back pairing lurking on the edge of a box prior to a corner kick, because those key aerial players are already positioned in the heat of the tussle ahead of the delivery.

In our anti-football numbers game, the offensive side need as many potential first contacts in the six-yard box as possible, leading to tactics used by the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool to great effect last weekend.

The increased number of bodies within close proximity of the net also reduces the likelihood of the goalkeeper having the confidence to roam out and complete a high claim, which would instantly evaporate our corner-kick dreams.

On top of that, having the majority of the outfield players packed into a small space reduces the referee's ability to conclusively determine the impact of minor blocks and fouls, even with the assistance of VAR.

STEP 4 - STAY ALIVE IN THE CHAOS

Only a minority of corner kicks are scored via the first contact in the box, meaning that attacks and defences alike need to stay alive in the immediate aftermath of a delivery to win the battle in the 18-yard box.

If the first contact arrives at the near post, then the offensive team should have a plethora of players making runs near the back post, ensuring that the ball does not agonisingly roll out for a goal kick.

The importance of 'staying alive' is even more obvious when the delivery is aimed for the back post, as the first contact will often lack the power required to directly beat a Premier League goalkeeper.

As much as head coaches do not want to admit, momentarily switching off is an incurable human trait that is repeated in every football league across the globe, meaning that there is a major advantage on offer for teams who can keep alert in the second and third phases of play.