Welcome to The Radar, Sky Sports' weekly column where Nick Wright mixes statistics with opinion to highlight the Premier League stories that matter. This edition covers three main topics: Bruno Fernandes' chase for the assist record, the search for a right‑back solution by Liverpool manager Arne Slot, and a player to keep an eye on this weekend. Bruno Fernandes has placed himself on the brink of a historic Premier League achievement.
In Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Brentford on Monday, his pinpoint pass set up Benjamin Sesko for a breakaway strike, bringing his season tally to 19 assists. One more assist would see him equal the joint‑record held by Kevin De Bruyne, who notched 20 assists for Manchester City in the 2019/20 campaign, and Thierry Henry, who reached the same figure for Arsenal in 2002/03.
With four league fixtures remaining – Liverpool, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Brighton – Fernandes has a realistic chance of surpassing those totals and finishing the season with at least 22 assists. Since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, Fernandes has been United's creative engine, but this season his assist count is by far his most prolific.
The 31‑year‑old also leads the league in several other creative metrics. His 19 assists are almost double the next best total, with Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen both stuck at ten. In the "chances created" column, Fernandes has delivered 114 opportunities, dwarfing the 61 recorded by Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai and Arsenal’s Declan Rice.
The Opta‑defined "big chances created" stat also puts him comfortably on top with 28, underscoring his ability to generate high‑quality opportunities. A notable feature of Fernandes' game this term is his set‑piece proficiency. Ten of his 19 assists have come directly from free‑kicks or corners, a stark contrast to the two and three set‑piece assists that made up De Bruyne’s and Henry’s record totals respectively.
Yet his dominance is not limited to dead‑ball situations; he also tops the league for open‑play chances created, confirming his all‑round creative influence. Moreover, his expected assists (xA) – a metric that measures the quality of chances rather than the final conversion – are the highest of any player since his Premier League debut, indicating that his teammates are simply capitalising on the high‑calibre chances he supplies.
Fernandes' impact was evident in United’s recent clash with Liverpool at Anfield, where a brilliantly struck cross from a second‑phase corner found Harry Maguire, who headed home the winner. Replicating a similar moment against Liverpool this Sunday would see him equal the 23‑year‑old record and bolster his case for the Premier League Player of the Year award. Turning to Liverpool, manager Arne Slot is still searching for a reliable right‑back.
Curtis Jones, a 25‑year‑old midfielder, has been thrust into the role on several occasions this season, covering for injuries and tactical shifts. He became the sixth Liverpool player to start at right‑back in the Premier League this term, following Connor Bradley, Dominik Szoboszlai, Jeremie Frimpong, Joe Gomez and Wataru Endo. Slot praised Jones, noting that he has "hardly played in that position in his career" but has performed admirably, offering a "big compliment" to his adaptability.
While Jones lacks the natural defensive pedigree of a traditional full‑back, his comfort on the ball mirrors the style of Trent Alexander‑Arnold, who redefined the right‑back role with his attacking contributions. Jones demonstrated this in a recent game against Crystal Palace, delivering a precise through‑ball that set up Andrew Robertson’s goal.
That pass was one of 149 passes completed by Liverpool across two matches, the highest total by any player on the team, highlighting his influence in possession and transitional play. Veteran centre‑back Virgil van Dijk lauded Jones after the Everton fixture, calling his performance "outstanding" and noting his impact in possession as a "game‑changer".
Elsewhere on the weekend schedule, Bournemouth’s Junior Koupou is set to face Crystal Palace after scoring three times in his last four outings, making him a potential transfer target in the summer. Arsenal and Fulham will meet in the Saturday Night Football slot, with Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event broadcasting from 5 pm. Later, Bournemouth takes on Crystal Palace at 2 pm on Sky Sports+, before the marquee Super Sunday fixtures: Manchester United versus Liverpool at Old Trafford (kick‑off 3.30 pm) and Chelsea versus Nottingham Forest on Monday at 3 pm, followed by Everton against Manchester City at 8 pm.
Fans may wonder whether Arsenal have any realistic hope of challenging Manchester City for the title in an attacking showdown. A previous column explored this question, but recent injuries – notably to Kai Havertz – have added further difficulty to their campaign. In summary, Bruno Fernandes stands on the cusp of rewriting Premier League assist history, thanks to a blend of set‑piece mastery, open‑play creativity and an exceptional expected‑assist record.
Liverpool continue to experiment with Curtis Jones at right‑back, hoping his versatility can plug a lingering defensive gap. Meanwhile, the weekend’s fixture list offers plenty of drama, from title contenders to relegation battles, all covered across Sky Sports platforms.