Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports feature 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 difficulty defending corner kicks - Ethan Ampadu’s increasingly lethal long throws - A player to keep an eye on this weekend Michael Carrick bristled when critics suggested United’s loss to Hull City was due to a lack of passion, pointing out that both goals came from set‑piece situations.
Unfortunately, defending dead‑ball scenarios has been a recurring weakness for the Red Devils. Hull’s opening goal came from a rebound that Semi Ajayi smashed home from close range. That strike marked the twelfth corner that United have conceded since the start of last season – a tally that ties them with Leeds for the highest total among all current Premier League clubs over the same period. Ajayi’s goal was quickly followed by Nobel Mendy’s free‑kick winner for Hull, and United have also allowed corner goals against Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Brentford and Nottingham Forest in the final two months of the previous campaign.
While those concessions did not cost United points last season – they won each of those four matches and secured a third‑place finish – the video replays reveal how uncomfortably easy they made it for their opponents to find the net. In the Hull game, Ajayi managed to slip into space as Harry Maguire inexplicably held his own teammate Noussair Mazraoui. Similarly, Maxence Lacroix, Ross Barkley and Morato were left virtually unmarked when they scored for Palace, Villa and Forest respectively. This frailty in defending corners and set‑pieces was highlighted by Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic, who explained after the match that he and his video analyst had devised specific plans to exploit United’s vulnerability.
Carrick can, however, point to an overall defensive improvement since taking charge in January. United had let in 31 goals in 21 league games before his arrival last season, but have only conceded 20 in 18 matches under his stewardship.
The flip side is that United now rank third in the league for the proportion of goals they concede from set‑pieces since Carrick’s first game – a statistic that underscores how persistent the problem remains. It is worth noting that United have been prolific when it comes to scoring from set‑pieces. Their 26 set‑piece goals last term were second only to champions Arsenal, demonstrating that the team can create chances from dead balls as effectively as any other side. The challenge, therefore, is to tighten up at the back while retaining that attacking edge.
If United cannot close the gap in their own box, they risk another collapse similar to the Hull defeat. Ipswich Town, who travel to Old Trafford on Sunday, will be looking to be the next side to capitalize on United’s corner weakness. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Turning to the other story of the article, Leeds United appear to have struck a bargain by securing a new contract for Ethan Ampadu in June.
The young captain, whose deal runs until 2030, has continued to flourish under manager Daniel Farke. Ampadu is praised by his coach as an exceptional leader and by former England defender Jamie Carragher as one of his favourite midfielders. He operates as a deep‑lying playmaker and a ball‑winning destroyer in the No 6 role, contributing both offensively and defensively.
However, Ampadu’s most distinctive weapon may be his long throw‑in. Since the start of last season he has delivered 139 long throws into the opposition box, placing him just behind Michael Kayode in the Premier League hierarchy. In terms of shots generated from those throws, Ampadu is tied with Kayode at five, and he also shares the same number of goals scored from them.
In Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, Ampadu produced another long throw that resulted in a goal. Although the delivery was not his best – the ball floated in a looping arc toward 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, who had earlier mocked his long‑throw ability.
Ampadu admits that early in the season Leeds supporters were skeptical of his technique. He recalled a February interview in which 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.” More recently, after two of his throws produced goals in a pre‑season friendly against Liverpool, teammate Brenden Aaronson marveled at the improvement, describing the throw as “unbelievable” and claiming Ampadu was now throwing “about 20 yards further and 20 yards harder.” While Aaronson’s figures were likely exaggerated, 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 Michael Kayode. Leeds hope to reap the tactical benefits of this development as long throws continue to shape modern football.
The opening round of fixtures featured 33 long throws, mirroring last season’s average of 3.9 per game. Fans can expect even more of these set‑piece weapons at Elland Road on Sunday. In other news, Gonzalo Garcia, the £34 million Real Madrid acquisition, followed up a poacher’s finish against Chelsea with a brilliant solo strike in Fulham’s Carabao Cup victory over AFC Wimbledon. Garcia will be looking to trouble Sunderland when Fulham travel to the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
Sky Sports will broadcast five Premier League matches this weekend, beginning with Crystal Palace versus Manchester City on Friday night. Saturday’s slate 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 with their clash against Ipswich at Old Trafford.
Additionally, the Monday Night Football fixture pits Aston Villa against Arsenal at Villa Park on August 31. For a chance to win £1 million, fans can play the Super 6 competition – entry is free.