Here’s a truth I’ve learned over a decade of FPL: the difference between a decent manager and a great one often comes down to set pieces. While everyone’s obsessing over form, fixtures, and fancy algorithms, savvy players are quietly stacking their squads with FPL set piece takers — the players who rack up 10-15 points per season just from penalties and corners. That sounds small until you realise it’s often the margin between winning your mini-league and finishing third.
Gameweek 38 is the final chance to exploit set piece assets. With Haaland at 239 points, B.Fernandes at 235, and Gabriel at 209, the elite have done the heavy lifting — but corners and penalties in the last week can still shift mini-league finishes. Let me break down why FPL set piece takers matter, who’s taking them across the top clubs, and which assets offer genuine value at the death of the season.
Why FPL Set Piece Takers Are Essential Assets
Set pieces account for roughly 20-25% of Premier League goals. That’s one in every four or five goals coming from a dead-ball situation — and in FPL, that translates to direct points for the player taking it.
A penalty in FPL is worth 5 points minimum (1 point for every 3 minutes played, plus the goal). A corner that results in an assist is worth 1 point for the taker, plus 5 for the assister. A free kick goal is worth 5 points. Over a full season, a reliable FPL penalty taker — someone getting 5-8 penalties — picks up 25-40 bonus points that a non-taker simply won’t accumulate.
A player averaging 6 penalties per season gains 30 points on a non-taker over 38 gameweeks — that’s often the difference between 40k OR and 10k OR in your mini-league.
The best FPL set piece takers are those at big, attacking clubs with aggressive set piece routines. Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Man Utd don’t just score more from open play — they’ve invested millions in set piece coaches and specialists. Their corner takers, free kick specialists, and penalty executors are premium assets, even if they’re not household names.
Who Takes Penalties for Top FPL Clubs?
Penalty responsibility is the holy grail of FPL set piece data. In a season, a top club might win 8-12 penalties. If you own the taker, that’s guaranteed points.
Man City: Haaland is the primary penalty taker, which is part of why he’s reached 239 points — penalties add up. With 27 goals and 8 assists, his penalty haul is significant. If Haaland has taken 6-7 penalties this season (a reasonable estimate for a title-winning team), that’s 30+ bonus points embedded in his season score.
Arsenal: Gabriel or Rice could theoretically take set pieces, but Arsenal’s penalty routine typically goes to their attacking mid or striker. Rice (184 points) is in the mix, but data suggests Arsenal rotate penalty duties slightly based on matchups.
Man Utd: B.Fernandes (235 points, 9 goals, 24 assists) has been the penalty taker for years. His ridiculous assist total (24!) includes set piece contributions. Expect him to remain first-choice for any remaining penalties in GW38.
Liverpool: Virgil (175 points) doesn’t take penalties. Thiago (181 points, 22 goals) is their primary forward threat but unlikely to be first-choice. This is historically one area where Liverpool’s set piece structure is less clearly defined — a weakness in FPL terms.
Aston Villa: Rogers (169 points, 10 goals) is in the squad, but penalty responsibility there is less crystal-clear given their attacking depth.
Corner Takers & Free Kick Specialists Worth Owning
Corners and free kicks are the harder currency to track — but they’re just as valuable. A consistent free kick taker who converts 2-3 per season gains 10-15 bonus points. A corner specialist who assists from one set piece per season gains 5-6 points. Over 38 gameweeks, it compounds.
B.Fernandes (Man Utd): Not just penalties — he takes free kicks and set pieces too. His 24 assists likely include 3-4 set piece contributions. He’s a unicorn asset: premium minutes, premium set piece duty. At £10.4m with 235 points and 48% ownership, he’s been profitable all season and remains a GW38 captain contender.
Gabriel (Arsenal): At £7.3m and 45.4% owned, Gabriel is low-cost for a 209-point defender. His corner threat is real — tall, aggressive, regular attacking involvement. Arsenal corners are a weapon.
Gibbs-White (Nott’m Forest): 188 points at £7.6m with only 9.2% ownership is a steal. His set piece involvement for Forest is higher than you’d expect from a midfielder — he’s delivered returns all season and offers GW38 value if you’re chasing rank.
Anderson (Nott’m Forest): 180 points, £5.7m, 9.4% owned. A budget midfielder with genuine set piece upside. Forest have been underrated for corners this season.
FPL Set Piece Value Table: Who Offers the Best Points-Per-Million
| Player | Position | Points | Price (£m) | Pts/£m | Set Piece Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Fernandes | MID | 235 | 10.4 | 22.6 | Primary penalty & FK taker |
| Gibbs-White | MID | 188 | 7.6 | 24.7 | Set piece threat & delivery |
| Anderson | MID | 180 | 5.7 | 31.6 | Underrated corner threat |
| Gabriel | DEF | 209 | 7.3 | 28.6 | Attacking threat & corners |
| Virgil | DEF | 175 | 6.1 | 28.7 | Defensive clean sheets; minimal set piece upside |
This table tells the real story. Anderson at 31.6 points per million is absurd value — he’s a budget midfielder with genuine set piece involvement that’s been ignored by 90% of the player base. Gibbs-White at 24.7 is premium. Even Gabriel, the defensive lock, delivers 28.6 because of his corner and attacking threat. Virgil, for all his clean sheets, is purely defensive — no set piece bonus.
GW38 Set Piece Strategy: Final Week Positioning
We’re at the death of the season. Your mini-league is likely decided, but final transfers still matter. Here’s my thinking:
If you’re chasing: Load up on set piece takers from the big teams. B.Fernandes, Haaland, Gabriel — these are the players most likely to get a penalty or a corner assist in a final-day scramble. Brighton vs Man Utd, Arsenal vs Crystal Palace, Man City vs Aston Villa — all competitive matches where set pieces become clutch.
If you’re comfortable: Don’t overthink it. Hold your premium assets and enjoy the show. One set piece won’t swing a 30-point deficit in a mini-league.
If you’re tinkering: Consider the Fixture Difficulty tool — it tells you which teams face the most aggressive opponents, meaning more set pieces awarded. Man City (difficulty 5 against them) will get mauled; they’ll likely get several free kicks and penalties. That’s a B.Fernandes or Haaland differential play.
Are Set Piece Takers Good in FPL? The Long Answer
Yes, but with caveats. A penalty taker alone isn’t a reason to own someone — they need playing time and attacking involvement too. B.Fernandes works because he’s elite at open play and takes set pieces. Anderson works because he’s cheap and gets set piece opportunity. Virgil doesn’t work for set pieces, even at 31.5% ownership, because his primary value is clean sheets.
Over a full season, set piece ownership is a compounding advantage. The best FPL managers don’t just chase form and fixtures — they identify which players have structural set piece authority at their clubs and buy them early. It’s unglamorous. It doesn’t trend on Twitter. But it wins leagues.
In GW38, set piece takers are a final lever to pull. The data says: if you’re holding a differential, keep it. If you’re swapping a generic midfielder for a set piece specialist (Anderson over a 5.7m option), you’ve made a smart move.
Key Takeaways: Set Piece Assets for GW38 and Beyond
- B.Fernandes is the gold standard — primary penalty and free kick taker for Man Utd, elite open-play stats, 235 points, 22.6 pts/£m. He should be near-universal in GW38 lineups.
- Anderson and Gibbs-White offer value — low ownership, high set piece involvement for Nott’m Forest, and exceptional points-per-million ratios. Perfect differentials if you’re hunting rank.
- Defensive set piece threats are underrated — Gabriel, Virgil, and other tall defenders get consistent corner opportunities. Their threat isn’t priced in.
- Penalty takers are worth tracking — Haaland’s penalty duty alone has likely added 30+ points to his season score. In a balanced squad, a reliable pen-taker is a structural advantage.
- Set piece value compounds — 5-10 points per season sounds small. Over five seasons and multiple mini-leagues, it’s the difference between 50k OR and 10k OR.
FAQ: FPL Set Piece Takers Explained
Who takes penalties for Man City in FPL?
Haaland is the primary penalty taker for Man City. His 27 goals and 8 assists total includes penalties awarded to him over the season. Given Man City’s dominance, he’s likely had 6-8 penalties, adding 30-40 bonus points to his elite tally. This is a key reason he’s hit 239 points.
Are set piece takers good in FPL, or am I overthinking it?
You’re not overthinking it — set pieces are a proven advantage, but only if the player is also good at open play. B.Fernandes works because he’s elite and takes set pieces. A 5.0m budget midfielder who only takes set pieces won’t return. The best strategy: own set piece takers who are already in your team for other reasons (form, fixtures, position).
Who takes penalties for Arsenal and Man Utd in FPL?
Man Utd: B.Fernandes is the primary penalty taker — 9 goals, 24 assists, elite set piece duty. Arsenal’s penalty routine is less clearly defined; they may rotate based on matchup, but Rice and Gabriel are in the conversation. In GW38, B.Fernandes is the safer set piece bet between the two.
For more detailed fixture and player analysis, check out the FPL360 Stats page for deep-dive set piece data and the Captain Impact tool to model which set piece takers offer the most upside in GW38.
