Welcome to The Radar, Sky Sports' weekly column where Nick Wright blends statistics and personal insight to highlight the Premier League stories that matter. This edition covers three main topics: Bruno Fernandes' chase for an assist record, the search for a right‑back solution by manager Arne Slot, and a player to keep an eye on this weekend.
Bruno Fernandes edged ever closer to a historic Premier League benchmark when his pass set up Benjamin Sesko's solo strike in Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Brentford on Monday. That assist put the Portuguese midfielder just one tally away from matching the joint‑record held by Kevin De Bruyne for Manchester City in the 2019/20 season and Thierry Henry for Arsenal in 2002/03.
With four league fixtures remaining – Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, Brighton and the looming clash with Liverpool on Super Sunday – Fernandes is in a prime position to overtake both legends. Since arriving from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, Fernandes has evolved into United's chief creator, but his current haul of 19 assists represents his most prolific single‑season total to date. If he maintains his current output over the final games, he could finish the campaign on 22 assists, comfortably eclipsing the previous bests. The statistics underline just how far ahead he stands this season.
At 31, his 19 assists are almost double the next highest total, with Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen each sitting on ten. The gap widens even further when looking at chances created: Fernandes has crafted 114 opportunities, far surpassing Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai and Arsenal’s Declan Rice, who are tied on 61.
In the Opta‑defined "big chances created" category he leads with 28, again a significant margin over his peers. A large portion of his assist tally has come from set‑piece situations – ten of the nineteen have originated from free‑kicks or corners – compared with only two and three from Henry and De Bruyne’s record‑setting seasons respectively.
Nevertheless, Fernandes is not merely a dead‑ball specialist; he also tops the league for open‑play chances created, underscoring his all‑round creativity. Assists can be a product of a teammate’s finishing ability, which is why many analysts also look at expected assists (xA) to gauge the quality of opportunities a player generates. By that measure, Fernandes leads the Premier League and boasts the highest xA recorded by any player since his debut in England, highlighting the sheer precision of his passing.
One of his most memorable contributions this term came at Anfield in October, when a perfectly struck volleyed cross from the second‑phase of a corner found Harry Maguire, who headed home the winning goal. A similar moment on the upcoming Sunday could see Fernandes equal a record that has stood for 23 years and further cement his case for the season’s Player of the Year award. The column also touches on Liverpool’s right‑back dilemma. While Curtis Jones is unlikely to be a long‑term solution, his recent performances against Crystal Palace and Everton have earned him a spot at Old Trafford.
Jones became the sixth Liverpool player to start at right‑back in the Premier League this season, joining the likes of Connor Bradley, Dominik Szoboszlai, Jeremie Frimpong, Joe Gomez and Wataru Endo. Manager Arne Slot praised his adaptability, noting that Jones has "hardly played in that position in his career" and that his display is a "big compliment".
Though a natural midfielder, Jones has added value in possession and demonstrated an ability to deliver incisive passes. His through‑ball assist for Andrew Robertson’s goal against Palace originated from a midfield position after a swift counter‑attack, marking one of the 149 passes he completed across two games – the highest total by any Liverpool player in that span. His composure under pressure and willingness to drift into central areas have helped smooth Liverpool’s build‑up play, a development that has not gone unnoticed by captain Virgil van Dijk, who described Jones as "outstanding" against Everton, particularly in possession.
Elsewhere, Bournemouth’s Junior Kroupi, who has netted three times in his last four outings, will face Crystal Palace on Sunday and is expected to attract interest during the summer transfer window. The weekend’s broadcast schedule includes Arsenal versus Fulham in the Saturday Night Football slot, with coverage beginning on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event at 5 pm ahead of the 5:30 pm kick‑off.
Bournemouth and Crystal Palace meet at 2 pm on Sky Sports+, preceding the Super Sunday showdown between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, which starts at 3:30 pm. On Monday, Chelsea travel to Nottingham Forest for a 3 pm fixture, followed by Everton’s 8 pm encounter with Manchester City, with Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event providing coverage from 6:30 pm.
A lingering question remains for Arsenal supporters: can the Gunners realistically challenge Manchester City for the title in an attacking showdown? Last week’s column explored this scenario, but a fresh injury to Kai Havertz has added another hurdle to their pursuit. Finally, readers are reminded to try the Super 6 game for a chance to win £250,000, with free entry available now.