Bruno Fernandes equalled the Premier League’s single-season assist record against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Manchester United’s (3.60) Bruno Fernandes matched the Premier League’s all-time single-season assist record in a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest (3.10). The Portuguese captain’s 20th assist of the campaign placed him alongside Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne in soccer history.
The Moment That Made History
Fernandes collected a pass from Matheus Cunha and drilled the ball across the box in the 76th minute. Bryan Mbeumo scored to spark wild celebrations from every United player on the pitch. Even goalkeeper Senne Lammens sprinted the full length of the field to embrace the Portugal midfielder.
The milestone placed Fernandes alongside Henry’s 2002/03 season and De Bruyne’s 2019/20 campaign at the summit. Only three players in Premier League history have now reached 20 assists in a single season.
“Everyone knew it was important that I could get another assist at least,” Fernandes told Sky Sports. “They’ve been trying everything they can to score from my passes.”
Numbers That Demand Respect
What makes the achievement even more striking is that Fernandes registered his first assist only on 19 October. He set up Harry Maguire’s winner at Liverpool (1.77) before accelerating through the season’s remaining fixtures rapidly. Since his Premier League debut in January 2020, no player has created more chances than Fernandes by some distance. He has created 670 chances in that period, a staggering 238 more than De Bruyne in second place.
This season alone, Fernandes created 132 chances, the most in the Premier League by a wide margin. Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai is next, trailing by 58 created chances across the entire campaign. His assists have directly earned Manchester United 21 points this season, a single-season record in Premier League history.
Former United right-back Gary Neville called it “something exceptional in Premier League football” on Sky Sports after the match.
Manager Michael Carrick added: “He’s got a real knack and gift for creating opportunities and knowing what’s around him.” The Football Writers’ Association had already named Fernandes their Men’s Footballer of the Year just days earlier.
A Record Built On More Than Open Play
One aspect of the record that sets Fernandes apart from his predecessors is his use of set pieces. Ten of his 20 assists came from dead-ball situations, compared to 18 for Henry and 17 for De Bruyne from open play. Steven Gerrard’s record of 11 set-piece assists in a single season, set in 2013/14, is now well within reach.
Fernandes currently sits level with Muzzy Izzet in second place on that particular list with 10. One more dead-ball assist would match Gerrard, while two more would place Fernandes in sole possession of yet another record.
One Game To Write History Alone
United travel to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, 24 May, with the outright record still up for grabs. One assist at the Amex Stadium would separate Fernandes from Henry and De Bruyne in the all-time rankings. He came agonisingly close against Forest, with Diogo Dalot striking the post late in stoppage time.
Fernandes is now also the most prolific creator in a single season in Manchester United’s history. He surpassed David Beckham’s previous club record of 15 assists, set back in the 1999/2000 season. Across seven seasons in England, his 71 league assists place him level with Tottenham’s Son Heung-min. History, however, awaits one final chapter at Brighton next weekend.
