Bruno Fernandes said he was proud to equal the Premier League assists record, jointly held by «main names» Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, and is now aiming for top spot in the charts.
The 31-year-old helped Michael Carrick’s men to third place by setting up Bryan Mbeumo for United’s third goal in their 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
The Portuguese midfielder is only the third player to provide 20 assists in a Premier League season. He joins Arsenal great Henry (2002/03) and Manchester City star De Bruyne (2019/20) in the elite.
«I’m obviously very proud,» Fernandes said on the sidelines of Old Trafford.
«We are talking about Thierry and Kevin, two of the most important names in the Premier League, and for me I am very grateful and I am very happy to do this. It is a very proud moment.»
Fernandes, named United’s player of the year for the fifth time, now has the chance to provide 21 assists in Sunday’s season finale at Brighton.
«Let’s see,» he said. «It doesn’t change the way I play my game, so I’ll still have to create things for my team and hopefully it can happen. But if it doesn’t happen, I’ll be very happy because I’ve never done 20 assists in the Premier League. I’ve never done 19, so even if I had finished with 19 I would be very happy.»
The United captain was mobbed when Mbeumo converted his cross in the 76th minute, with goalkeeper Senne Lammens joining every United outfield player in celebrating a record he said he only started thinking about when he got his 19th assist.
“I’m very grateful to see their reaction more than mine because I wanted Bryan to celebrate his goal,” Fernandes added.
“I didn’t want to make it about me because at the end of the day scoring a goal is the most important thing in football and credit to Bryan because if he doesn’t put the goal in the back of the net my record won’t be there.»
Published on May 18, 2026
