Who is the best Premier League team from long throws? Stats reveal extraordinary increase of latest set-piece trend
Published 10/11/2025 at 16:57 GMT
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The spirit of Rory Delap is alive and well after some remarkable stats revealed the extent of the long-throw increase in the Premier League. The likes of Crystal Palace, Brentford and Sunderland have all enjoyed success while deploying the tactic in the early stages of the 2025/26 Premier League season, while the likes of Arsenal are lower down in this particular set-piece metric.
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The man may be retired, but the idea is not: 12 years on from Rory Delap leaving the Premier League, his trademark long throw-in is alive and well.
Delap’s Stoke City side, managed by the pragmatic Tony Pulis, became famous for its ability to utilise the midfielder’s remarkable range with the ball in hand.
The Republic of Ireland international’s throws became so feared that at one stage Hull City goalkeeper Boaz Myhill appeared to concede a corner rather than kick the ball out for a throw-in during his side's clash with The Potters in 2008.
Now the long throw is back, but it is not just sides battling for Premier League survival that are utilising them.
Teams across the division are adopting the tactic, but are they really more popular than they were last year?
Long throws more than double
The number of long throws is through the roof this term compared with last season, as the stats demonstrate.
| PL stats | 24-25 | 25-26 (so far) |
| % throws long | 4.6% | 10.9% |
| Total long throws into box | 578 | 455 |
| Per game | 1.5 | 4.1 |
| Shots following long throws | 133 | 117 |
| Per game | 0.4 | 1.1 |
| Goals following long throws | 14 | 11 |
| Per game | 0.04 | 0.10 |
Stats: Opta
According to Opta, there was an average of 32.9 throw-ins per game during the 2024/25 campaign, with only 1.5 of them being classified as a long throw.
Compare that with this season, where there has been an average of 38 throws and, remarkably, 4.1 long throws per game.
That is not all. Opta’s stats also state that there have been an average of 1.1 shots following long throws per game this season, compared with 0.4 last time out.
Perhaps most importantly of all, on average, there have been 0.1 goals scored per game from long throws this term, another notable increase from the 0.04 seen last season.
Clearly the tactic is becoming increasingly popular, but who has had the most success from it?
Palace and Brentford top the table
Anyone who watched Crystal Palace’s clash with Brighton on Sunday would have seen just how popular long throws have become at Selhurst Park.
The Eagles have the reliable arms of Jefferson Lerma to call on, and the Colombia international has not let them down this season.
| Club | Shots following long throws | Goals following long throws |
| Crystal Palace | 20 | 3 |
| Brentford | 20 | 3 |
| Sunderland | 12 | 1 |
| Burnley | 9 | 1 |
| Everton | 8 | 1 |
| Manchester United | 4 | 1 |
| Newcastle | 4 | 1 |
According to Opta, Palace have produced 20 shots from long throws this season, scoring three goals.
Their most recent example came in their 2-0 win against Brentford earlier this month.
On that occasion, it was actually Brentford star Nathan Collins who turned Lerma’s long throw into the back of the net, highlighting just how difficult the midfielder’s delivery can be to deal with.
Keith Andrews’ side are no strangers to long throws themselves.
They are level with Palace on 20 shots from long throws, and three goals.
That should come as no surprise considering Andrews’ previous position as Brentford’s set-piece coach.
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Arsenal's surprise struggle
Sunderland, Everton, Burnley, Manchester United, and Newcastle have also enjoyed success from long throws this season. They have each scored one goal from them so far.
Arsenal's style of play has been one of the stories of the season, and some may have expected to see The Gunners included in a list of sides that are getting the most out of their long throws.
Indeed, Sunderland appeared to move the advertising hoardings at the Stadium of Light closer to the pitch to combat Arsenal's long throws during their 2-2 draw.
However, The Gunners have been less successful than perhaps expected.
Mikel Arteta's side are yet to score from a long throw and have produced just seven shots as a result of them.
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