Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column where Nick Wright mixes data-driven insights with personal opinion to highlight the must‑know stories across the Premier League. This week’s agenda includes: - Fernandes on a quest for assists - Has Slot finally found a reliable right‑back?
- A player to keep an eye on this weekend Bruno Fernandes edged closer to a historic Premier League benchmark when his pinpoint pass set up Benjamin Šeško’s breakaway strike in Manchester United’s 2‑1 victory over Brentford on Monday. The assist put the Portuguese midfielder just one tally away from equalling Kevin De Bruyne’s 2020‑21 total for Manchester City and Thierry Henry’s 2002‑03 figure for Arsenal. With four league fixtures remaining—Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, Brighton and a showdown with Liverpool—Fernandes is in a strong position to surpass both records. Since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, Fernandes has become one of the league’s premier creators, but this season’s haul of 19 assists is his personal best.
If he maintains his current rate, he could finish the campaign with 22 assists, a number that would comfortably eclipse the aforementioned legends. The statistics paint a stark picture of Fernandes’s dominance. His 19 assists are nearly double the next best tally, held jointly by Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, who each have ten. The gap widens even further when we look at chances created: Fernandes has logged 114, while the nearest competitors—Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai and Arsenal’s Declan Rice—sit at 61.
In the Opta‑defined "big chances created" category, Fernandes leads with 28, again well ahead of the pack. A significant proportion of his assists have come from set‑pieces; ten of the nineteen were delivered from free‑kicks or corners. By contrast, Henry and De Bruyne achieved their record totals with only two and three set‑piece assists respectively, highlighting Fernandes’s proficiency in dead‑ball situations. Nonetheless, his open‑play creativity is equally impressive, as he also tops the league for open‑play chances created, underscoring his all‑round attacking acumen.
Assists are, of course, contingent on teammates finishing the chances, but Fernandes also leads in expected assists (xA), a metric that better reflects the quality of the opportunities he generates. Since his Premier League debut, no player has recorded a higher xA, reinforcing his reputation as a creator of genuinely dangerous chances. Liverpool fans will recall how Fernandes’s inventive cross—delivered with the instep of his right foot during the second phase of a corner—allowed Harry Maguire to head home the winner at Anfield in October. Replicating a similar moment this weekend would not only tie the long‑standing record but also bolster his case for the season’s Player of the Year award.
In other news, Liverpool’s right‑back dilemma may find a temporary solution in Curtis Jones. The 25‑year‑old impressed at Old Trafford after strong performances against Crystal Palace and Everton, becoming the sixth Liverpool player to start at right‑back this season, following Connor Bradley, Dominik Szoboszlai, Jeremie Frimpong, Joe Gomez and Wataru Endo.
Manager Arne Slot praised Jones, noting, "He has hardly played in that position in his career, the way he does it is a big compliment." Although a natural midfielder, Jones has shown a willingness to adapt and has added a new dimension to Liverpool’s possession game. His through‑ball to Andrew Robertson for the latter’s goal against Palace demonstrated the composure and vision typically associated with a seasoned full‑back, reminiscent of Trent Alexander‑Arnold’s creative output from the right side.
Across the two recent fixtures, Jones logged 149 passes, the highest total for any Liverpool player, and his ability to slip into central zones has helped smooth the team’s build‑up play. Virgil van Dijk even labelled him "outstanding" after the Everton match, emphasizing the impact he can have when given the chance. Elsewhere, Bournemouth’s rising talent Junior Kroué is set to face Crystal Palace after netting three goals in his last four outings, making him a potential summer target for bigger clubs.
The upcoming weekend’s schedule is packed: Arsenal host Fulham in the Saturday Night Football slot, with coverage beginning on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event at 5 pm. Bournemouth and Crystal Palace meet at 2 pm on Sky Sports+, followed by the marquee Super Sunday fixtures—Manchester United versus Liverpool at Old Trafford (kick‑off 3.30 pm) and later, Chelsea versus Nottingham Forest at 3 pm on Monday, with Everton taking on Manchester City at 8 pm (coverage starts at 6.30 pm on the main Sky Sports channels). As the title race tightens, Arsenal’s optimism hinges on their attacking firepower against a formidable Manchester City side.
A previous column examined their chances, but a fresh injury to Kai Havertz has further complicated their pursuit of the crown. Finally, fans can test their luck in the Super 6 competition for a chance to win £250,000, with free entry available now.