Bruno Fernandes: Man Utd captain breaks Premier League assists record for a single season
Bruno Fernandes breaks record for most assists in a single Premier League season; Manchester United captain set up Patrick Dorgu's goal against Brighton to move to 21 assists and surpass the record of 20 held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne
Sunday 24 May 2026 21:35, UK
Bruno Fernandes has broken the record for the most assists in a single Premier League season after the Manchester United captain set up Patrick Dorgu's goal against Brighton on the final day of the campaign.
It was Fernandes' 21st assist in the top flight this campaign, surpassing the record of 20 set by Thierry Henry for Arsenal in 2002/03 and Kevin De Bruyne for Manchester City in 2019/20.
"It's great. I feel very happy for that. It's a very proud moment," Fernandes told Sky Sports. "Obviously, it's not what I was thinking about until I got this close. Today, I was lucky enough to get that.
"Jonny [Evans] believed more in me for that set-piece that we prepared for Patrick. I wasn't sure Patrick was able to score with his head. He did, and at the end of the day, I got my assist from that, and I'm very happy. The most important thing is that we won today and we finished strong."
Fernandes matched the record in last weekend's 3-1 win against Nottingham Forest, setting up Bryan Mbeumo for Man Utd's third goal. He was named Premier League Player of the Season on Saturday, following on from his FWA Footballer of the Year award.
- Fernandes voted Premier League Player of the Season
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Earlier this season, Fernandes broke David Beckham's record for the most assists provided for Manchester United in a single Premier League season, which was 15 in the 1999/2000 season.
But the 31-year-old is some way off the all-time Premier League assist record of 162 held by former Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs.
Bruno's legacy-defining campaign
By Sky Sports News' Dan Khan...
Fernandes is like a magician on the pitch. Having watched him up close all season, he has produced moments that usually only belong to the imagination.
A personal favourite was his assist for Benjamin Sesko's winner against Fulham. He finds himself on the right-hand side in the 94th minute of the game, turns Calvin Bassey and, with the ball still rolling ahead of him, whips it first time into the box.
If he puts the ball in front of Sesko, Joachim Andersen intercepts it. However, the placement of the ball, while Fernandes is falling as Bassey closes him down, is inch-perfect on Sesko's back foot, which allows him a touch and finish. Like magic.
Some may point to the number of set-pieces on Fernandes' way to writing a new chapter, but I would invite anyone who doubts his quality to re-watch some of the moments of the season.
A first-time volleyed cross to set up Harry Maguire's winner at Anfield - for Man Utd's first win there in almost a decade - or his assist to set up Mbeumo against Manchester City in Michael Carrick's first game in charge, where the great Henry dubbed Fernandes 'Braino-Fernandes' are just two examples. But I could go on.
