Welcome to The Radar, Sky Sports' analytical column where Nick Wright blends statistics with insight to highlight the Premier League stories you need to know. In this season‑opening edition we focus on three key points: - Manchester United’s persistent trouble defending corners - Ethan Ampadu’s increasingly lethal long throws - A player to keep an eye on this weekend Michael Carrick bristled when critics suggested that United’s 2-0 loss to Hull City was merely a symptom of a lack of passion. He reminded everyone that both Hull goals originated from set‑piece situations, underlining a problem that has haunted the Red Devils for some time: defending dead balls. Hull’s opening goal came when Semi Ajayi reacted quickest to a rebound and tucked the ball home at close range.
That strike marked the 12th corner United have conceded since the start of last season – a tally that puts them level with Leeds United for the highest number of corners allowed among all current Premier League clubs over that period. Ajayi’s goal was quickly followed by a free‑kick from Nobel Mendy that doubled Hull’s lead. United’s defensive woes on set‑pieces were further highlighted by similar concessions against Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Brentford and Nottingham Forest in the final two months of the previous campaign. While those goals did not cost United points last season – they still managed victories in each of those matches and secured a third‑place finish – the footage makes it clear how easily opponents have found space in United’s box.
In the Hull fixture, Ajayi benefited from a moment of confusion when Harry Maguire appeared to block his own teammate, Noussair Mazraoui, allowing Ajayi to slip into a pocket of space. A similar lack of pressure was evident when Maxence Lacroix, Ross Barkley and Morato each scored unchallenged for Palace, Villa and Forest respectively, exploiting gaps that should have been covered by United’s defensive line. Hull’s head coach Sergej Jakirović noted after the match that his staff had been planning to target United’s set‑piece frailty, using video analysis to identify weaknesses and devise strategies to exploit them.
Carrick, for his part, can point to an overall improvement in United’s defensive record since taking over in January. The team conceded 31 goals in 21 league games before his arrival last season, but that figure has dropped to 20 goals in 18 matches under his guidance. Nevertheless, United now sit third in the league for the proportion of goals they have allowed from set‑pieces since Carrick’s first game in charge, a statistic that underscores the lingering issue. On the offensive side, United have been prolific from dead balls, netting 26 set‑piece goals last term – the second‑best total after 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. Their next test comes against Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on Sunday, a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports and could see the visitors aim to capitalize on United’s defensive vulnerability.
Turning to the other headline, Leeds United may feel they struck a bargain by securing a new contract for Ethan Ampadu in June. The 22‑year‑old, whose deal runs until 2030, has continued to thrive under manager Javi Farfán (formerly Daniel Farke).
Ampadu is praised by his coach as an exceptional leader and has been singled out by former England defender Jamie Carragher as one of his favourite midfielders. Operating as a deep‑lying playmaker and a ball‑winning destroyer in the No 6 role, he contributes both defensively and offensively. However, Ampadu’s most eye‑catching attribute may be his long throw. Since the start of last season he has delivered 139 long throws into the opposition box, a figure only surpassed by Michael Kayode, his counterpart at Brentford.
Ampadu also ranks highly for shots resulting from his throws – 53 attempts – and is tied with Kayode for five goals directly from the delivery. In Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, Ampadu produced another long throw that led to a goal. Though the ball’s trajectory was a bit loopy and it slipped out of his hands before looping toward the near post, Forest failed to clear the danger and James Justin bundled the ball home. Ampadu celebrated by turning to the home crowd, who had previously mocked his technique.
Ampadu admitted that early in the season he faced criticism from Leeds supporters, who claimed his throws were not truly 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 comments from teammate Brenden Aaronson after two pre‑season goals against Liverpool illustrate the progress: "Ethan came back and started throwing it about 20 yards further and 20 yards harder," Aaronson said, exaggerating perhaps, but the data backs the improvement. A chart tracking Ampadu’s average throw distance shows a steady rise from around 28 metres in February to roughly 32 metres now, putting him on par with specialist Kayode.
Leeds will hope to reap the benefits of this development as long throws become an increasingly common tactical weapon. In the opening round of fixtures last season there were 33 long throws, roughly matching the league’s average of 3.9 per game, suggesting the trend will continue. Fans can expect to see more of Ampadu’s deliveries at Elland Road on Sunday, where Leeds face Brentford. Meanwhile, other Premier League action includes Gonzalo Garcia’s solo strike for Fulham in their Carabao Cup win over AFC Wimbledon, and a slate of live Sky Sports broadcasts: Crystal Palace vs Manchester City on Friday, Tottenham vs Newcastle on Saturday, and a packed Sunday lineup featuring Chelsea vs Brighton, Leeds vs Brentford, Sunderland vs Fulham and Manchester United vs Ipswich.
The weekend concludes with a Monday Night Football clash as Aston Villa host Arsenal on August 31. Finally, for those looking for a bit of extra excitement, the Super 6 competition offers a chance to win £1 million – entry is free and the draw is open to all Sky Sports viewers.