Arne Slot has admitted that the Premier League’s growing reliance on set pieces has “sucked some of the joy out of football,” though he accepts it as the modern reality of the game.

Liverpool, last season’s champions, struggled with dead-ball situations earlier in the campaign, both offensively and defensively. Yet seven of their past nine Premier League goals have come from set pieces, including three from corners during Saturday’s 5-2 victory over West Ham United at Anfield.

Premier League leaders Arsenal are widely regarded as the league’s set-piece specialists, having scored their 16th goal from a corner this season on Sunday, equalling the Premier League record.

“First of all, you have to accept it. I think it’s mainly here in the Premier League,” Slot told reporters on Monday. “If I watch other leagues, I don’t think there’s so much emphasis on set pieces.”

The Dutch manager also criticised what he sees as leniency towards physical play on goalkeepers in England compared with other leagues, such as the Dutch Eredivisie.

“Here you can almost hit a goalkeeper in his face and the referee still says just go on,” Slot said. “Do I like it? My football heart doesn’t like it.”

Slot, a fan of the possession-based style of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, added that he finds many Premier League matches less enjoyable to watch, though he acknowledges the league’s competitiveness.

“Now, most of the games I see in the Premier League are not for me a joy to watch. But it’s always interesting because it’s so competitive, and that is what makes this league great, because there’s so much competitiveness—everyone can beat everyone.”

Looking ahead, Slot accepts that set pieces are here to stay. “Maybe in five or ten years’ time things will change again, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you go to an under-16 game somewhere… I wouldn’t be surprised if you see teams completely focused, 16-year-olds on set pieces. That’s the new reality, and I have my opinion about it, but it doesn’t change.”

Fifth-placed Liverpool, who have won seven of their last nine matches in all competitions, remain in a strong position to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

However, playmaker Florian Wirtz is expected to miss Tuesday’s Premier League clash at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Friday’s FA Cup meeting with the same opponents at Molineux Stadium due to a back problem. Wirtz was absent for Liverpool’s wins against Nottingham Forest and West Ham.