Welcome to The Radar, the Sky Sports column where Nick Wright blends statistics with opinion to highlight the Premier League’s must‑know stories. In this season’s opening edition we cover three key points: - Manchester United’s struggles defending corner kicks - Ethan Ampadu’s increasingly threatening long throws - A player to keep an eye on this weekend Michael Carrick bristled when critics suggested United’s loss to Hull City was simply a lack of passion.
He reminded everyone that both goals came from set‑piece situations, underscoring a recurring defensive weakness. This isn’t the first time United have been caught out by dead‑ball scenarios. Hull’s opener – a rebound finish by Semi Ajayi from close range – marked the twelfth corner that United have conceded since the start of last season.
That figure ties them with Leeds for the highest total among current Premier League clubs over the same period. Ajayi’s goal was quickly followed by a free‑kick strike from Nobel Mendy, and United later allowed corner goals against Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Brentford and Nottingham Forest in the final two months of the previous campaign. While those goals didn’t affect the outcomes last season – United won all four of those matches and secured a third‑place finish – replaying the clips now makes it clear how readily opponents have found space in United’s box. In the Hull game, for instance, Ajayi slipped through because Harry Maguire inexplicably held his own teammate Noussair Mazraoui, while at Palace, Aston Villa and Forest the attackers – Maxence Lacroix, Ross Barkley and Morato – were left virtually unmarked when they headed home.
Hull’s head coach Sergej Jakirovic noted this vulnerability in his post‑match press conference, explaining that he and his video analyst had devised a plan to exploit United’s corner‑defending frailty. Carrick can point to an overall defensive improvement since taking over in January – United have conceded 31 goals in 21 league games before his arrival, compared with just 20 in the 18 matches under his stewardship – but the data also shows United now rank third‑highest in the league for goals allowed from set‑pieces since Carrick’s first game in charge. That statistic highlights how the problem remains significant.
On the offensive side, United have been prolific from dead balls. Their 26 set‑piece goals last season placed them second only to champions Arsenal among Premier League sides.
However, until they can tighten up at the back when corners and free‑kicks arrive, they risk another collapse like the one against Hull. Ipswich Town, who travel to Old Trafford on Sunday, will be looking to capitalize on United’s weakness, and their clash will be streamed live on Sky Sports. Switching focus to the midfield, Leeds United may feel they struck gold by securing Ethan Ampadu on a new deal that runs until 2030. The 22‑year‑old captain has flourished under manager Daniel Farke, earning praise as an outstanding leader and being singled out by pundit Jamie Carragher as one of his favourite midfielders.
Ampadu operates as a deep‑lying playmaker and a ball‑winning destroyer, but his most distinctive weapon is his long throw. Since the start of last season, Ampadu has delivered 139 long throws into the opposition box – second only to Michael Kayode, his rival on the field.
In terms of shots generated from those throws, Ampadu is level with Kayode at five, and he matches him on goals scored from the same source. In Tuesday’s Carabao Cup win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, Ampadu produced another long throw that resulted in a goal. Although the delivery was a bit wobblier than usual – the ball floated towards the near post after slipping from his hands – Forest failed to clear it and James Justin bundled the ball home.
Ampadu celebrated by turning to the home crowd, which had previously mocked his throw‑ins. Ampadu admits that early in the season Leeds fans teased him, saying his throws weren’t that long. He recalled in February: “I got 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 directly to goals, prompting teammate Brenden Aaronson to describe the improvement as “unbelievable,” adding that Ampadu was now throwing “about 20 yards further and 20 yards harder.” While Aaronson’s figures were hyperbolic, the statistics back up the claim: Ampadu’s average throw distance has risen steadily from roughly 28 metres in February to about 32 metres now, putting him on par with specialist Kayode.
Leeds hope to reap the tactical benefits of Ampadu’s evolving skill as long throws become a more prominent trend. The opening round of fixtures this season featured 33 long throws, roughly matching last season’s average of 3.9 per game.
Expect even more of these weapons to be deployed at Elland Road on Sunday. In other news, Gonzalo Garcia, the £34 million Real Madrid signing, followed a poacher’s finish against Chelsea with a brilliant solo strike in Fulham’s Carabao Cup victory over AFC Wimbledon.
Garcia will look to trouble Sunderland when Fulham face them on Sunday. Sky Sports will broadcast five Premier League matches this weekend, starting with Crystal Palace versus Manchester City on Friday night. Saturday sees Tottenham host Newcastle, while Sunday offers a packed slate: Chelsea versus Brighton, Leeds versus Brentford at 2 pm, and Sunderland versus Fulham kicking off simultaneously on Sky Sports+.
Manchester United close the weekend with their clash against Ipswich at Old Trafford. Looking ahead, Monday Night Football pits Aston Villa against Arsenal at Villa Park on August 31.
Finally, don’t miss the chance to play Super 6 for a shot at £1 million – entry is free.