How AI may have helped Liverpool seal Champions League comeback against AC Milan | OneFootball

Liverpool have started reaping the rewards of Arne Slot having a specialist set piece coach as they beat AC Milan 3-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Reds returned to the Champions League this season after a year in the Europa League, ending Jurgen Klopp’s reign with a run to the quarter-finals. Of course, that would be one of many changes to the new season.

Although Liverpool did utilise throw-in specialist Thomas Gronnemark at times — to great success — the Reds didn’t have a specific set piece coach under Klopp. Instead Liverpool’s coaches were expected to work on them alongside the club’s analysts as part of their day-to-day.

But over the summer Liverpool advertised for a set piece coach with a Uefa A License, asking for a “tactical specialist responsible for maximising the team’s performance in all set-piece situations”.

The deadline has passed and it appears as though Liverpool did get their person. Well, according to a report from the Athletic in August, they also got their AI too. According to reports, Liverpool worked alongside Google DeepMind to use AI to determine strategies for corners. Researchers looked at almost 10,000 corners from two-and-a-half years of Premier League football, while adding in information on player heights, weight, starting location and movement. This allowed researchers to predict the most likely outcomes for each corner routine. AI is then used to check historical success of similar routines and alter players’ positions.

So, has it worked?

In Klopp’s last season in charge, Liverpool’s players created 99 chances from set play with 11 goal assists in the Premier League. That accounted for 16.6% of Liverpool’s chances created and 18.3% of their goals.

In the Premier League this season, five of Liverpool’s 51 chances created have come from set play — for a percentage of 9.8%. They are yet to provide an assist from a set play in the Premier League, but they’re up and running in Europe.

Liverpool were blown away by AC Milan’s fast start at the San Siro on Tuesday and trailed after three minutes. Christian Pulisic broke through a high line and finished under Alisson for his third goal against Liverpool.

The early concession was the kick Liverpool needed though as they started peppering the AC Milan goal. And set pieces proved vital. Liverpool’s equaliser and goal to make it 2-1 both came from set pieces.

The first came midway through the first half, with Trent Alexander-Arnold whipping a delicious delivery into the box. Mike Maignan came out but did not win the ball, with Ibrahima Konate rising high to head home.

Five minutes half-time, Virgil van Dijk rose highest to head in a corner from Kostas Tsimikas. Again the delivery was perfect with van Dijk shrugging off his marker to get a free header.

It was the first time since April 2019 that Liverpool have scored two headed goals in a Champions League game, and the first time the club have ever had two centre-backs score in the same match in the competition.

Dominik Szoboszlai capped off the scoring in the second half from open play, but this game was all about the set pieces. And it improved Liverpool’s record at the San Siro, remaining the only away side to play multiple Champions League games at the San Siro and win every one.

“I think we work on it every game and I’m very happy that it worked out today,” Cody Gakpo told Amazon Prime Sport of the set piece goals.

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