Welcome to The Radar, the Sky Sports column where Nick Wright mixes statistics with insight to highlight the Premier League stories you need to know. In this season’s opening edition we focus on three key points: - Manchester United’s persistent difficulty in defending corners - Ethan Ampadu’s increasingly potent long throws - A player to keep an eye on this weekend Michael Carrick was quick to reject the claim that United’s 2-0 loss to Hull City was a matter of missing passion. He reminded everyone that both goals came from set‑piece situations, underlining a problem that has followed the club for more than a season.
Defending dead‑ball situations has become a recurring weakness for the Red Devils. Hull’s opening strike – a rebound finish by Semi Ajayi that slipped under the goalkeeper at close range – marked the twelfth corner that United have conceded since the start of last season.
That tally puts them level with Leeds United for the highest number of corners allowed among all current Premier League sides over that period. Ajayi’s goal was quickly followed by a free‑kick from Nobel Mendy, and United’s defensive frailties were further exposed by corner goals they allowed against Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Brentford and Nottingham Forest in the final two months of the previous campaign. Those concessions did not cost United any 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 could create scoring opportunities from set‑pieces.
A similar pattern emerged in the Hull game when Harry Maguire appeared to block his own teammate Noussair Mazraoui, giving Ajayi the space he needed to get on the end of the cross. In the other matches, Maxence Lacroix, Ross Barkley and Morato all found themselves unmarked inside the box when they headed in for Palace, Villa and Forest respectively.
The ease with which these players found room highlights a broader issue in United’s defensive organization during aerial set‑pieces. Hull’s head coach Sergej Jakirovic even mentioned in his post‑match press conference that his staff had devised specific plans to exploit United’s corner vulnerability, using video analysis to pinpoint the gaps. While United’s back line has shown signs of improvement since Carrick took over in January – conceding 31 goals in 21 league games before his arrival and only 20 in the subsequent 18 – the club still ranks third‑highest for the proportion of goals allowed from set‑pieces since his first match in charge.
That statistic underlines how significant the problem remains. It is worth noting, however, that United have been prolific when it comes to scoring from set‑pieces themselves. Their 26 goals from corners and free‑kicks last season placed them second only to champions Arsenal in that category.
The paradox of being strong on the attacking side of dead balls while remaining porous defensively creates a precarious balance that could be costly if opponents learn to target this weakness. Looking ahead, United will face Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on Sunday. Ipswich, who will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, will likely aim to test United’s defensive frailties with their own set‑piece routines, hoping to replicate the success Hull enjoyed.
In another storyline, Leeds United appear to have secured a strategic coup by extending Ethan Ampadu’s contract until 2030. The 22‑year‑old captain has thrived under Daniel Farke, earning praise from both his manager – who calls him an “outstanding leader” – and former England defender Jamie Carragher, who has named Ampadu among his favourite midfielders. Ampadu operates as a deep‑lying playmaker and a ball‑winning midfielder, but his most eye‑catching attribute may be his long throw.
Since the beginning of last season, Ampadu has delivered 139 long throws into the opposition box, a figure only surpassed by Michael Kayode, his counterpart at Brentford. Ampadu’s throws have also produced 53 attempts on goal and five goals, putting him level with Kayode in the goal‑scoring column. In the Carabao Cup tie against Nottingham Forest, Ampadu’s long throw led directly to a goal, even though the delivery was a bit wayward, looping towards the near post before James Justin bundled it home. Ampadu admits that his early attempts were met with scepticism from Leeds supporters, who teased him about the distance of his throws.
He recalled a February interview where he said, “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 of Ampadu’s throws resulted in goals during a pre‑season friendly against Liverpool, described the development as “unbelievable,” noting that Ampadu was now throwing “about 20 yards further and 20 yards harder.” While Aaronson’s figures were exaggerated for effect, the data tells a clear story: 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 thrower Kayode.
Leeds will hope to capitalize on this weapon as long throws become an increasingly common tactical element – the opening round of fixtures featured 33 long throws, matching last season’s average of 3.9 per game. Fans can expect to see more of these aerial assaults at Elland Road on Sunday as Leeds look to use Ampadu’s throws to create scoring chances against their opponents. Elsewhere in the weekend’s action, Gonzalo Garcia, Fulham’s £34 million signing from Real Madrid, followed a poacher’s finish against Chelsea with a dazzling solo goal in the Carabao Cup win over AFC Wimbledon.
He will aim to trouble Sunderland when Fulham meet them on Sunday. Sky Sports will broadcast five Premier League matches this weekend, starting with Crystal Palace versus Manchester City on Friday night. Saturday’s lineup 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 will close Sunday’s slate with the clash against Ipswich at Old Trafford. Finally, the season’s first Monday Night Football fixture will see Aston Villa host Arsenal at Villa Park on August 31.
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