Welcome to The Radar, the Sky Sports column where Nick Wright blends statistics with opinion to highlight the Premier League stories you need to know. In this opening edition of the season we focus on three key points: - Manchester United’s persistent trouble defending corners - Ethan Ampadu’s increasingly lethal long throws - A player worth keeping an eye on this weekend Michael Carrick bristled when critics blamed United’s 2-0 loss to Hull City on a lack of passion, pointing out that both goals came from set‑piece situations. The problem, however, is not new – United have struggled to defend dead‑ball scenarios for some time now. Hull’s opening goal came after Semi Ajayi smashed home a rebound from close range.
That strike marked the twelfth corner that United have conceded since the start of last season, a figure that ties them with Leeds United for the highest total among all current Premier League clubs over that period. Ajayi’s goal was quickly followed by a free‑kick strike from Nobel Mendy, and United went on to concede further corner goals against Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Brentford and Nottingham Forest in the final two months of the previous campaign.
Those concessions did not cost United points then – they won each of those four matches and finished the season in third place – but the footage makes it clear how easily opponents were able to find space inside United’s box. In the Hull game, for instance, Harry Maguire inexplicably held his own teammate Noussair Mazraoui, creating a gap that allowed Ajayi to slip through. Similar lapses were evident when Maxence Lacroix, Ross Barkley and Morato scored unchallenged for Palace, Villa and Forest respectively. Hull’s head coach Sergej Jakirovic even highlighted United’s vulnerability in his post‑match press conference, noting that he and his video analyst had been planning ways to exploit the Red Devils’ corner weakness.
Carrick can, however, point to defensive improvement since taking over in January. United had allowed 31 goals in 21 league games before his arrival last season, but have only conceded 20 in 18 matches under his stewardship.
The paradox is that, despite the overall drop in goals against, United now rank third in the league for the proportion of goals they concede from set‑pieces since Carrick’s first game in charge. This statistic underscores that the issue remains a significant Achilles’ heel.
On the offensive side, United have been prolific from dead balls. Their 26 set‑piece goals last season were second only to champions Arsenal, demonstrating that the team can both create and finish from corners and free‑kicks. Until they can shore up their own defensive set‑piece work, however, United risk suffering another collapse like the one at Hull.
Their next test comes against Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on Sunday, a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Ipswich will be eager to become the next side to profit from United’s corner frailties. In a summer filled with headline‑grabbing midfield signings across the Premier League, Leeds United may feel they struck gold by securing Ethan Ampadu on a new contract that runs until 2030.
The 22‑year‑old captain has continued to thrive under manager Daniel Farke, earning praise as an outstanding leader and being singled out by former England defender Jamie Carragher as one of his favourite midfielders. Ampadu’s primary role is that of a deep‑lying playmaker who also contributes the physicality of a destroyer, but his most distinctive weapon is his long throw.
Since the start of last season he has delivered 139 long throws into the opposition box, a tally that places him just behind Michael Kayode, the specialist long‑thrower for Brentford. Ampadu, however, leads the league in the number of shots generated from his throws (53) and is tied with Kayode for the number of goals directly resulting from them (five).
The Welshman’s long‑throw prowess was on display in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. Although the delivery was a bit wayward – the ball looped toward the near post after slipping from his hands – Forest failed to clear, and James Justin bundled the ball home for the winning goal. Ampadu celebrated by turning to the home crowd, who had previously mocked his technique. Ampadu admits that his early attempts at long throws attracted criticism from Leeds supporters.
In February he recalled being “battered a little bit by Leeds fans, saying it wasn’t actually that long, which was true, sometimes it’s not great. But it’s getting longer.” Recent pre‑season matches against Liverpool saw two of his throws lead to goals, prompting teammate Brenden Aaronson to describe the improvement as “unbelievable” and claim that Ampadu was now throwing “about 20 yards further and 20 yards harder.” While Aaronson’s figures were likely hyperbolic, the data tells a clear story: Ampadu’s average throw distance has risen steadily from roughly 28 metres in early February to about 32 metres now, putting him on par with Kayode. Leeds will hope to reap the tactical dividends of this trend.
The opening round of fixtures featured 33 long throws, roughly matching last season’s record average of 3.9 per game. Expect even more of these aerial weapons at Elland Road on Sunday as Leeds look to exploit opponents’ defensive set‑piece frailties. Beyond United and Leeds, the column also highlights other noteworthy moments. Gonzalo Garcia, Fulham’s £34 million acquisition from Real Madrid, followed a poacher’s finish against Chelsea with a brilliant solo strike in the Carabao Cup win over AFC Wimbledon.
He will be looking to trouble Sunderland when Fulham travel to the north coast on Sunday. This weekend’s Premier League action will be broadcast across Sky Sports, with five live matches.
Friday night kicks off with Crystal Palace versus Manchester City. Saturday sees Tottenham host Newcastle, and Sunday offers a packed schedule: Chelsea versus Brighton, Leeds versus Brentford at 2 pm, and Sunderland versus Fulham in the simultaneous kick‑off, all on Sky Sports+.
Manchester United close the day with their clash against Ipswich at Old Trafford. Looking ahead, Monday Night Football will feature Aston Villa hosting Arsenal at Villa Park on August 31. And for those who love a bit of extra excitement, the Super 6 competition offers a chance to win £1 million – entry is free.
In summary, Manchester United must address their chronic corner‑defending weakness if they are to avoid costly setbacks, while Ethan Ampadu’s evolving long‑throw ability continues to provide Leeds with a unique attacking edge. Both storylines will shape the early narrative of the Premier League season, and fans should keep a close eye on how they develop over the coming weeks.