Welcome to The Radar, a Sky Sports column in which Nick Wright uses a blend of data and opinion to shed light on need-to-know stories from up and down the Premier League. This week:
🔴 Mbeumo’s running power
🔄 O’Riley to replace Joao Pedro?
🔍 A player to watch this weekend
Mbeumo’s instant impact
Manchester United face Fulham on Super Sunday hoping to build on the positives from their narrow loss to Arsenal. Bryan Mbeumo’s performance was one of them. His debut, following a strong pre-season, underlined his potential to transform their attack.
Ruben Amorim gave a cryptic answer on Man Utd goalkeeper Andre Onana
It could be seen in his very first actions of the game.
Inside the opening minute, Mbeumo controlled a looping clearance in his own half then drove Manchester United deep into Arsenal territory on the break. Soon afterwards, he was latching onto a Bruno Fernandes through-ball and testing David Raya.
Manchester United ended up dominating possession against one of the Premier League’s top teams for the first time in a decade. It was when attacking quickly and directly, though, that they looked most dangerous. Matheus Cunha helped but Mbeumo was key.
Manchester United directed more attacks down their right against Arsenal
Last season, Manchester United directed a far higher percentage of attacks down the left than the right but the emphasis switched completely against Arsenal as they looked for Mbeumo at every opportunity. The former Brentford winger is their outlet now.
He finished the game having had more shots than any other player. He ranked top for touches in the opposition box and dribbles too. But it is his movement that makes it all possible.
Mbeumo made more attacking runs than anyone else in the division at Brentford last season and he occupied the same spot in the rankings on the opening weekend of the new campaign.
Bryan Mbeumo ranked top for attacking runs on the opening weekend
The 26-year-old has given Manchester United a new level of running power. His total of 30 attacking runs in his very first appearance for the club was only bettered by Manchester United players on five occasions in the whole of last season in the Premier League.
Ruben Amorim has said since his appointment last year that he wants his side to have more possession and thereby more control. But increasing their threat on the counter and on transitions is also seen as crucial. It is already clear that Mbeumo makes it possible.
Against Arsenal, Manchester United totalled four direct attacks and three fast breaks, a combined total beaten only by Liverpool and Bournemouth on the opening weekend and a significant increase on the side’s averages under Amorim last season.
The trouble, of course, was that they were unable to make them count. The next challenge is to find a ruthless edge, starting at Craven Cottage. But Mbeumo’s impact is evident, even after one game. Manchester United have glimpsed what they can become.
O’Riley can fill Joao Pedro void
Matt O’Riley assumed penalty-taking duties for Brighton against Fulham last weekend following Joao Pedro’s departure to Chelsea. Playing in the No 10 role vacated by the Brazilian, he offered a similar level of off-the-ball industry too.
Brighton’s Matt O’Riley scored from the penalty spot against Fulham
His total of 66 pressures in the 1-1 draw with Marco Silva’s side was the eighth-highest among Premier League players on the opening weekend. Crucially, O’Riley offered quality as well as quantity. No player made more pressures leading to turnovers. His industry helped create opportunities for Brighton to hurt Fulham.
Fabio Hurzeler praised his all-round contribution afterwards. “He is doing a lot of work out of possession, so we are not only happy to have him because of the goal,” he said. The Brighton boss will hope for more of the same from him against Everton on Super Sunday.
Injuries made it difficult for O’Riley to showcase those physical qualities anything like as much as he would have liked in his first season at Brighton following his £25m arrival from Celtic last year. He was limited to only 11 starts in the Premier League.
But despite interest from Italian clubs Napoli, Atalanta and Roma this summer, the early evidence this season suggests the club would be wise to keep hold of him as they adapt to life without his former team-mate, off the ball as well as on it.
Player Radar: Who else to keep an eye on
Nottingham Forest have lost Anthony Elanga but they have gained Dan Ndoye. The 24-year-old marked his debut with a goal against Brentford and could cause Crystal Palace problems next.
Live Radar: What’s on Sky this weekend?
Don’t miss the Friday Night Football as champions West Ham host Chelsea. Coverage starts at 7pm on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event, with kick-off at 8pm.
Saturday Night Football sees Arsenal go up against Leeds, with kick-off at 5.30pm, then it’s on to Super Sunday, with Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest, Everton vs Brighton and Fulham vs Manchester United all on Sky Sports, with coverage starting at 1pm on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event.
The first Monday Night Football of the season pits Newcastle against Liverpool to the backdrop of the Alexander Isak saga, with coverage starting at 6.30pm on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event ahead of the 8pm kick-off.
Read last week’s Radar column
The opening column of the season featured analysis of Martin Zubimendi’s Arsenal role, Matheus Cunha’s potential to help Patrick Dorgu thrive, and Ismaila Sarr’s value to Crystal Palace.
Sky Sports to show 215 live Premier League games this season
Starting this season, Sky Sports’ Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live.
And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games this season will be shown live on Sky Sports.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Teoscar Hernández not staying with Dodgers teammates at Milwaukee’s allegedly haunted Pfister Hotel, says it’s his wife’s decision
Teoscar Hernández doesn't believe in ghosts. So he says.But his wife apparently does. And because of that, he's not staying with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates at Milwaukee's allegedly and legendarily haunted Pfister Hotel for their NLCS road games against the Brewers. Hernández addressed his alternative accommodations with reporters during a news conference Tuesday.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"It's whatever," Hernández said. "I don't believe in ghosts. I have stayed in there before. I never see anything or hear anything. But my wife is on this trip. And she says she doesn't want to stay in there. So we have to find another hotel."But I've been hearing from other players and other wives that it's something happening these couple nights."[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]This prompted a follow-up question. What exactly has he heard about the famous Pfister?"My wife told […]
Palmeiras afasta elenco sub-17 do Paulista por questões disciplinares
Elenco sub-17 do Palmeiras treinará até dezembro, quando volta a jogar (crédito: Fabio Menotti / Palmeiras)O Palmeiras afastou todo o elenco sub-17 que disputava o Campeonato Paulista da categoria. A diretoria tomou a medida drástica ao identificar problemas disciplinares de alguns jogadores, além de uma certa disputa interna entre as gerações mais nova e mais velha. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADECom a decisão, informada pelo site ‘ge’, as últimas partidas no Estadual serão com o time sub-16. Não apenas jogadores, mas também toda a comissão técnica e o restante da delegação.Elenco sub-17 do Palmeiras volta a jogar em dezembroO Palmeiras não revelou detalhes sobre o que aconteceu, mas confirmou que nenhum jogador ou funcionário foi demitido. Inclusive, o elenco sub-17 treinará nos próximos meses e só voltará às competições em dezembro, na Super Copa Capital, em Brasília. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADEDiante dos problemas disciplinares, a […]
Qatar and Saudi Arabia Qualify for 2026 World Cup
Qatar and Saudi Arabia both secured a spot at next year’s World Cup on Tuesday after clinching first place in their groups in the fourth round of Asian qualifying.Qatar defeated the United Arab Emirates 2-1 and Saudi Arabia drew 0-0 with Iraq.It marks the first time that Qatar, which lost all three group-stage games when it hosted the 2022 tournament, has advanced through qualification. Saudi Arabia, which will stage the 2034 World Cup, will appear for a seventh time next summer in North America."It’s amazing, an incredible day," Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui told broadcaster beIN Sports.Lopetegui now gets another chance to coach at a World Cup after he was fired by Spain just two days before the start of the 2018 tournament after he accepted the job as Real Madrid manager."For me, it’s one of the best days in my […]
Viktor Hovland talks ‘Envelope Rule’ after Ryder Cup controversy, injury withdrawal: ‘It’s tough’
After having to withdraw from the Ryder Cup early due to a neck injury, which led to the rare “Envelope Rule” being used last month at Bethpage Black, Viktor Hovland is back on the course this week.Hovland is set to compete in the DP World Tour’s India Championship, marking his first outing since his neck injury knocked him out of the Sunday singles matches at the Ryder Cup. While Europe still won the event 15-13, the halved match due to Hovland’s withdrawal and Harris English sitting out for the American side nearly played a massive role after the U.S. team mounted a wild comeback.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement[Check out all of Yahoo Sports' golf content here in our new golf hub]“The whole situation was pretty upsetting, just the fact that I didn't get to play, and I felt really bad for Harris, who also […]
Former Jets C Nick Mangold asks fans for kidney donation to address chronic disease
Former New York Jets center Nick Mangold needs help from a fan or some other good Samaritan.The 41-year-old posted a statement on social media Tuesday revealing that he was diagnosed in 2006 with a genetic defect that led to a chronic kidney disease, leaving him in need of a kidney donation. He said a "rough summer" has left him on dialysis and that none of his family are able to donate.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe statement directs fans with type O blood to a webpage from Columbia's surgery department and signal their interest, specifically citing his name and Jan. 13, 1984 birthdate.Mangold played his entire 11-year career with the Jets, earning seven Pro Bowl nods and a spot on the team's ring of honor. Before that, he was an All-American at Ohio State and a freshman on the program's 2002 national championship team. He […]
Papers: Rangers eye former Man Utd boss Solskjaer as Martin successor
The top stories and transfer rumours from Wednesday's newspapers...THE SUN Rangers have spoken to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Bo Svensson as candidates to replace Russell Martin.Liverpool are set to bank a Premier League-record shirt sponsorship deal, with the club looking for £70m a year from their next agreement.THE DAILY MAIL Manchester United are considering extending midfielder Casemiro's contract beyond this season, but only if he takes a cut in wages. Nottingham Forest are likely to revert to a more conservative style of play if they decide to move on from Ange Postecoglou. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Former Nottingham Forest defender Michael Dawson joins the Fan Club on Sky Sports News to analyse Ange Postecoglou's start at the City Ground and looks at a tough run of fixtures ahead THE TELEGRAPHChelsea have no concern over […]
Related
Teoscar Hernández not staying with Dodgers teammates at Milwaukee’s allegedly haunted Pfister Hotel, says it’s his wife’s decision
Teoscar Hernández doesn't believe in ghosts. So he says.But his wife apparently does. And because of that, he's not staying with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates at Milwaukee's allegedly and legendarily haunted Pfister Hotel for their NLCS road games against the Brewers. Hernández addressed his alternative accommodations with reporters during a news conference Tuesday.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"It's whatever," Hernández said. "I don't believe in ghosts. I have stayed in there before. I never see anything or hear anything. But my wife is on this trip. And she says she doesn't want to stay in there. So we have to find another hotel."But I've been hearing from other players and other wives that it's something happening these couple nights."[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]This prompted a follow-up question. What exactly has he heard about the famous Pfister?"My wife told […]
Palmeiras afasta elenco sub-17 do Paulista por questões disciplinares
Elenco sub-17 do Palmeiras treinará até dezembro, quando volta a jogar (crédito: Fabio Menotti / Palmeiras)O Palmeiras afastou todo o elenco sub-17 que disputava o Campeonato Paulista da categoria. A diretoria tomou a medida drástica ao identificar problemas disciplinares de alguns jogadores, além de uma certa disputa interna entre as gerações mais nova e mais velha. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADECom a decisão, informada pelo site ‘ge’, as últimas partidas no Estadual serão com o time sub-16. Não apenas jogadores, mas também toda a comissão técnica e o restante da delegação.Elenco sub-17 do Palmeiras volta a jogar em dezembroO Palmeiras não revelou detalhes sobre o que aconteceu, mas confirmou que nenhum jogador ou funcionário foi demitido. Inclusive, o elenco sub-17 treinará nos próximos meses e só voltará às competições em dezembro, na Super Copa Capital, em Brasília. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADEDiante dos problemas disciplinares, a […]
Qatar and Saudi Arabia Qualify for 2026 World Cup
Qatar and Saudi Arabia both secured a spot at next year’s World Cup on Tuesday after clinching first place in their groups in the fourth round of Asian qualifying.Qatar defeated the United Arab Emirates 2-1 and Saudi Arabia drew 0-0 with Iraq.It marks the first time that Qatar, which lost all three group-stage games when it hosted the 2022 tournament, has advanced through qualification. Saudi Arabia, which will stage the 2034 World Cup, will appear for a seventh time next summer in North America."It’s amazing, an incredible day," Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui told broadcaster beIN Sports.Lopetegui now gets another chance to coach at a World Cup after he was fired by Spain just two days before the start of the 2018 tournament after he accepted the job as Real Madrid manager."For me, it’s one of the best days in my […]
Viktor Hovland talks ‘Envelope Rule’ after Ryder Cup controversy, injury withdrawal: ‘It’s tough’
After having to withdraw from the Ryder Cup early due to a neck injury, which led to the rare “Envelope Rule” being used last month at Bethpage Black, Viktor Hovland is back on the course this week.Hovland is set to compete in the DP World Tour’s India Championship, marking his first outing since his neck injury knocked him out of the Sunday singles matches at the Ryder Cup. While Europe still won the event 15-13, the halved match due to Hovland’s withdrawal and Harris English sitting out for the American side nearly played a massive role after the U.S. team mounted a wild comeback.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement[Check out all of Yahoo Sports' golf content here in our new golf hub]“The whole situation was pretty upsetting, just the fact that I didn't get to play, and I felt really bad for Harris, who also […]
Former Jets C Nick Mangold asks fans for kidney donation to address chronic disease
Former New York Jets center Nick Mangold needs help from a fan or some other good Samaritan.The 41-year-old posted a statement on social media Tuesday revealing that he was diagnosed in 2006 with a genetic defect that led to a chronic kidney disease, leaving him in need of a kidney donation. He said a "rough summer" has left him on dialysis and that none of his family are able to donate.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe statement directs fans with type O blood to a webpage from Columbia's surgery department and signal their interest, specifically citing his name and Jan. 13, 1984 birthdate.Mangold played his entire 11-year career with the Jets, earning seven Pro Bowl nods and a spot on the team's ring of honor. Before that, he was an All-American at Ohio State and a freshman on the program's 2002 national championship team. He […]
Papers: Rangers eye former Man Utd boss Solskjaer as Martin successor
The top stories and transfer rumours from Wednesday's newspapers...THE SUN Rangers have spoken to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Bo Svensson as candidates to replace Russell Martin.Liverpool are set to bank a Premier League-record shirt sponsorship deal, with the club looking for £70m a year from their next agreement.THE DAILY MAIL Manchester United are considering extending midfielder Casemiro's contract beyond this season, but only if he takes a cut in wages. Nottingham Forest are likely to revert to a more conservative style of play if they decide to move on from Ange Postecoglou. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Former Nottingham Forest defender Michael Dawson joins the Fan Club on Sky Sports News to analyse Ange Postecoglou's start at the City Ground and looks at a tough run of fixtures ahead THE TELEGRAPHChelsea have no concern over […]
Be the first to leave a comment