Bruno Fernandes equalled the Premier League assists record for a single season after setting up a goal for the 20th time in the current campaign.
The Manchester United captain’s low cross was tapped in by Bryan Mbeumo as they beat Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
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Fernandes’ latest assist moved him level with ex-Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne and former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry for most assists in a season.
Delivered in the 77th minute, his assist was celebrated passionately by all 11 Manchester United players on the pitch at Old Trafford, including goalkeeper Senne Lammens – who ran the length of the field to hug the Portugal midfielder.
With one Premier League game remaining for United, away to Brighton on 24 May (16:00 BST), the 31-year-old could still take the outright record.
Fernandes remains in sensational form. He has created 132 chances this season, the most in the Premier League and a staggering 58 chances more than the next-best, Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai.
He also won the Football Writers’ Association’s men’s Footballer of the Year award last week.
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The numbers which put Fernandes in elite bracket
Since Fernandes’ arrival in the Premier League six years ago, no player has created more chances than him – and by some distance.
He has created 670 chances since January 2020, 238 more than Kevin de Bruyne who is next on the list.
Nobody has made more assists since Fernandes’ Premier League debut (71) and only five players have scored more than his 70 league goals.
When combining Premier League goals and assists, only Mohamed Salah (193) betters Fernandes’ 141 in that time.
“Fernandes has just achieved something exceptional in Premier League football,” said former United right-back Gary Neville on Sky Sports.
“To go level with Kevin de Bruyne and Thierry Henry for 20 assists in a single season is a magical moment for him.”
Against Forest Fernandes created eight chances, four more than any other player in the game, and almost had a 21st assist of the season late on after setting up Joshua Zirkzee – whose low shot was superbly saved.
“They’ve been trying to score from my passes,” Fernandes joked to Sky Sports after the game.
“I’m very happy for the assist and for the win, and to finish the season on a high.
“I got to 20 today, let’s see – we have one more game. It’s the highest I’ve done in the Premier League so I am very happy with it.”
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