Under the tutelage of Arne Slot, Liverpool are six points clear at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand on Arsenal. The Reds also finished top of the inaugural 36-team league phase table of the Champions League, two points ahead of Barcelona, winning seven out of eight.

Throw in a home Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday and a trek to Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup on Sunday and Slot's side have exceeded expectations at every turn this season.

Yet the quest for perfection never ends for Liverpool. Indeed, despite excelling on all four fronts, there is one significant area for improvement: set pieces.

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According to fresh data released by The Athletic before the last Premier League gameweek, Liverpool were the league’s second-lowest scorers from set pieces on average.

Slot's side have averaged 1.7 goals per 100 set-pieces in the league this term with only bottom-placed Fulham on fewer with 1.3 goals.

This is a steep decline of more than three goals from the Jurgen Klopp era. Indeed, as of April 10, 2024, since 2018-19, the Reds had the third-best goals-per-100-corners rate in the Premier League (4.8).

And it may seem surprising when they have the crossing ability of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, as well as the aerial prowess of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

Kostas Tsimikas is a good corner taker, too, look no further than last season's Carabao Cup final for evidence of the Greek's ability from se pieces, with the left-back setting up Van Dijk for the winner with a deft cross deep into extra-time.

Conversely, at the other end of the scale for this season are challengers Arsenal with a league-high 6.6 goals.

They have half-jokingly been compared to Tony Pulis’ Stoke City team and their fans have painted a mural of their set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.

And Arsenal's enthusiasm for dead balls has even spread to the stands, with fans often heard singing: “Set piece, again, ole, ole.”

Jover fully announced his arrival at Arsenal when the Gunners scored from two corners in their 3-2 away North London derby victory back last April as they chased Manchester City at the top of the table.

But despite their prolificacy from set pieces, it was not still enough as they fell two points short of Pep Guardiola's side in the race for the title.

It's a skill, though, that Arsenal still rely on heavily and has been a clear weapon in their title fight with Liverpool this season. The Gunners have scored 10 goals from corners alone this campaign to add to their 16 from the last which equalled the record set by West Brom.

But it is Liverpool, not Arsenal, who have been the successors to City at the top of the league table for the time being.

Unsurprisingly, Everton were second in the set-piece table, missing out on first place by 0.1, with Sean Dyche - in charge until January 9 - renowned for his use of dead balls as a tactic.

Despite Liverpool's lowly place on the list, Konate has emerged as a threat from dead balls again this season, scorings scored for the first time since their 3-2 FA Cup semi-final victory over Man City on April 16, 2022.

The Frenchman equalised in the 3-1 victory at AC Milan on the Champions League Matchday 1 before centre-back partner and captain Van Dijk put the Reds ahead.

Konate waited 885 days for a goal, and then two came along in 11 days as he opened the scoring in the win at Wolves.

That alongside headers from Van Dijk at Arsenal and Diogo Jota at Nottingham Forest, though, are the only set-piece goals Liverpool have scored in the league.

Their set-piece record has not been a problem so far, but it is something Slot will still want to improve as he explores every avenue to keep Liverpool fighting for the biggest titles.