Bruno Fernandes teed up Patrick Dorgu to break the Premier League assist record on the final day.
While many of the league’s top stars got the final day off, United captain Fernandes led his side out away at Brighton, determined to separate himself as the single-season assist leader.
Last week it was his pass to Bryan Mbeumo that saw him draw level with Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne on 20 assists.
On the south coast it was his whipped in corner that was headed in with full force by Dorgu to hand Premier League Player of the Year Fernandes the record outright.
Bruno Fernandes (left) teed up Patrick Dorgu (right) to break the Premier League asissts record
Dorgu headed in on the final day at Brighton from Fernandes’ whipped in corner from the right
Fernandes was insistent when he spoke to Daily Mail Sport after the win over Nottingham Forest that he would not change his game to get the 21st assist.
‘[The record] doesn’t change the way I play my game,’ Fernandes said, speaking pitch side just moments after the final whistle.
‘I will still have to create things for my team and hopefully it can happen. But if it doesn’t happen, I’m already very happy because I’ve never done 20 assists in the Premier League.
‘I’ve never done 19 either, so even if I had finished with 19, I would be very happy.’
But those close to Fernandes and the United dressing room have continually stressed how important the record has been for a number of weeks to the whole team and celebrations after Dorgu’s goal, and Mbeumo’s last week, only underlined that.
‘I wouldn’t say relieved, but I’m very happy, very proud,’ Fernandes added when he reached 20 assists.
‘When you start getting close to [the record], you start thinking a lot.
‘Obviously it comes into your mind, you know? I’m very proud. We’re speaking about Thierry and Kevin, two of the main names of the Premier League, and for me I’m very grateful and I’m very happy to achieve it. It’s a very proud moment.’
Opta Analyst’s graphic shows the make-up of Fernandes’ record-breaking 21 league assists
Fernandes has been a ‘creative machine’, to use the term United’s social media accounts used on Sunday, this season and should have more than 21 assists to his name.
The United captain has benefitted from the growing importance of set pieces, with just 10 of his 21 assists from open play, compared to Henry (18) and De Bruyne (17).
But nobody in United red is complaining and having started the season as a deep-lying midfielder under Ruben Amorim, Fernandes has flourished since a managerial change unlocked his attacking potential.
He has already been crowned the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year, as well as the Premier League Player of the Year. He is the frontrunner for the player-voted PFA Player of the Year, also.
