Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column where Nick Wright blends statistics and opinion to highlight essential Premier League narratives. In this season's opening edition we focus on three key points: - Manchester United’s ongoing struggle to defend corners - Ethan Ampadu’s increasingly potent long throws - A player to keep an eye on this weekend Michael Carrick bristled when commentators suggested United’s loss to Hull City was simply a lack of passion. He reminded everyone that both Hull goals originated from set‑piece situations, underscoring a deeper defensive issue.
This isn’t the first time United have been vulnerable on dead balls; defending them has become a recurring problem. Hull’s opening goal came after Semi Ajayi pounced on a rebound and tucked the ball home from close range. That strike marked the 12th corner that United have conceded since the start of last season – a tally that puts them level with Leeds for the highest number of corner concessions 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.
While those goals did not affect the outcomes – United won each of those matches and secured a third‑place finish – the footage reveals just how effortlessly opponents have found space in United’s box. In the Hull match, Ajayi was able to slip into a pocket 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 – all enjoyed virtually no challenge when converting their corner chances.
Hull’s head coach Sergej Jakirović even highlighted United’s set‑piece frailty in his post‑match press conference, noting that his staff had prepared specific plans to exploit the Red Devils’ weakness. Carrick can point to defensive improvements since taking over in January.
United allowed 31 goals in 21 league games before his arrival last season, but have conceded only 20 in 18 matches under his stewardship. Nevertheless, the team now ranks third in the league for the proportion of goals conceded from set‑pieces since Carrick’s first game in charge, a statistic that emphasizes the persistence of the problem. On the flip side, United have been prolific from attacking set‑pieces. Their 26 set‑piece goals last season were the second‑most in the Premier League, trailing only champions Arsenal.
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 eager to become the next side to profit from United’s corner vulnerability. Meanwhile, in a summer marked by high‑profile midfield moves, Leeds United may feel they struck a bargain by securing Ethan Ampadu on a new contract that runs until 2030. The Welsh international, praised by manager Daniel Farke as an outstanding leader and lauded by pundit Jamie Carragher as one of his favourite midfielders, excels in a deep‑lying playmaker role while also providing a destructive presence.
Ampadu’s most distinctive weapon, however, is his long throw. Since the start of last season he has delivered 139 long throws into the opposition box, a figure surpassed only by Michael Kayode. In terms of shots generated from those throws, Ampadu is level with Kayode at five, and he matches Kayode’s goal tally from long throws as well.
The latest example came in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, where Ampadu’s lofted throw, though not perfectly executed, looped toward the near post and was eventually bundled home by James Justin after Forest failed to clear. The moment sparked a celebratory chant from the home crowd, who had previously teased Ampadu about the length of his throws. Ampadu recalled the early criticism he faced from Leeds supporters when he first began using the throw as a weapon last season.
In February he admitted, "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." More recently, after two of his throws produced goals in a pre‑season friendly against Liverpool, teammate Brenden Aaronson praised the improvement, describing the throw as "unbelievable" and noting that Ampadu was now throwing "about 20 yards further and 20 yards harder." While Aaronson’s figures were hyperbolic, the data supports a clear upward trend. 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 Michael Kayode. Leeds will hope this growing weapon continues to deliver tactical advantages as the season progresses.
Long throws have become a defining tactical trend. The opening round of fixtures featured 33 long throws, roughly matching last season’s average of 3.9 per game. Fans can expect to see even more of them at Elland Road on Sunday as Leeds look to exploit this set‑piece niche. In other news, Gonzalo Garcia, Fulham’s £34 million acquisition from Real Madrid, followed a poacher’s finish against Chelsea with a dazzling solo strike in the Carabao Cup win over AFC Wimbledon.
Garcia will aim to trouble Sunderland when the two meet on Sunday. Sky Sports will broadcast five Premier League matches this weekend, beginning with Crystal Palace versus Manchester City on Friday night. Saturday sees Tottenham host Newcastle, and Sunday offers a packed schedule: Chelsea versus Brighton, Leeds versus Brentford at 2 pm, and Sunderland versus Fulham kicking off simultaneously on Sky Sports+. Manchester United close the weekend’s action with a home clash against Ipswich Town at Old Trafford.
Additionally, Monday Night Football features Aston Villa hosting Arsenal at Villa Park on August 31. For a chance at a £1 million prize, fans can enter the Super 6 competition for free.