Welcome to The Radar, Sky Sports' weekly column where Nick Wright mixes statistics with insight to highlight the Premier League stories you need to know. 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 worth watching this weekend.
Bruno Fernandes edged ever closer to a historic Premier League benchmark after setting up Benjamin Sesko's solo strike in Manchester United's 2-1 victory over Brentford on Monday. That assist placed the Portuguese midfielder just one tally away from matching the joint‑record of 20 assists 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 – Liverpool, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Brighton – Fernandes has a realistic chance of overtaking those figures and finishing the campaign with at least 22 assists. Since his arrival from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, Fernandes has become United's primary creative engine, but this season his 19 assists represent a personal best and a league‑wide outlier.
No other player this term has even reached double‑digit assists; the nearest challengers are Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, each with ten. The gap widens further when we look at chances created: Fernandes has crafted 114 opportunities, more than double the 61 logged by Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai and Arsenal’s Declan Rice, who sit second.
In the Opta‑defined "big chances" category he leads with 28, again well ahead of the competition. A significant portion of his assist tally stems from set‑piece delivery – ten of the nineteen have come from free‑kicks or corners – whereas Henry and De Bruyne relied far less on dead‑ball situations for their record‑breaking numbers. Yet Fernandes is not a set‑piece specialist alone; his open‑play creativity is equally impressive, topping the league for chances generated from live play.
Moreover, his expected assists (xA) metric, which measures the quality of chances a player creates regardless of whether a teammate finishes them, is the highest of any Premier League player since his debut, underscoring the genuine difficulty of the opportunities he supplies. One memorable example of his set‑piece ingenuity occurred at Anfield in October when a sharply struck, instep‑driven cross from a corner found Harry Maguire, who headed home the winner against Liverpool. A similar moment this weekend could see Fernandes equal a record that has stood for 23 years and bolster his claim as the season's Player of the Year. The column also turns its attention to Liverpool’s right‑back conundrum.
Curtis Jones, a 25‑year‑old midfielder, has been thrust into the role out of necessity, becoming the sixth Liverpool player to start at right‑back in the Premier League this season after the likes of Connor Bradley, Dominik Szoboszlai, Jeremie Frimpong, Joe Gomez and Wataru Endo. Head coach Arne Slot praised Jones, noting his limited experience in the position but applauding his performance as a "big compliment".
While Jones still has much to learn, his comfort on the ball and willingness to step into central areas have added a new dimension to Liverpool’s build‑up play. Jones’ passing ability was on display when he delivered a precise through‑ball that set up Andrew Robertson’s goal against Crystal Palace. That pass was part of a total of 149 passes across two games – the highest number by any Liverpool player – highlighting his composure under pressure. Veteran defender Virgil van Dijk also lauded Jones, calling his display against Everton "outstanding" and noting his impact in possession as a game‑changer.
Further Premier League fixtures are outlined for the weekend. Junior Koupou of Bournemouth, who has netted three times in his last four outings, will face Crystal Palace on Sunday and is expected to attract interest in the summer transfer market. Arsenal and Fulham will clash in the Saturday Night Football slot, with Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event providing coverage from 5 pm. Earlier, Bournemouth meets Crystal Palace at 2 pm on Sky Sports+, followed by the marquee Super Sunday showdown between Manchester United and Liverpool at 3:30 pm.
On Monday, Chelsea travel to Nottingham Forest for a 3 pm kickoff, while Everton face Manchester City later that evening at 8 pm, with Sky Sports beginning coverage at 6:30 pm. The column also revisits Arsenal’s title hopes, noting that recent injuries – including a setback for Kai Havertz – have complicated their pursuit of Manchester City’s crown.
Finally, readers are reminded of the ongoing Super 6 competition, offering a chance to win £250,000 with free entry. The Radar continues to blend data‑driven analysis with narrative flair, delivering the essential storylines that shape the Premier League each week.