Better than Henry and De Bruyne: Bruno Fernandes’ Premier League record speaks volumes

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has etched his name into football history by becoming the first player in Premier League history to record 21 assists in a single season.

The historic milestone was achieved on the final day of the campaign as the Red Devils celebrated their secured Champions League spot with a commanding 3-0 away victory against Brighton.

Heading into the final matchday, Manchester United's primary objective was to help their Portuguese playmaker break the long-standing competition record.

The breakthrough came early when Patrick Dorgu, making his first start since returning from injury, opened the scoring courtesy of a precise pass from Fernandes.

This decisive pass marked Fernandes' 21st league assist of the season, officially eclipsing the previous record of 20 set by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry in 2003 and later equalled by Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in 2020.

Bryan Mbeumo soon doubled the visitors' advantage following an assist from Amad Diallo, putting the dominant Red Devils completely in control before the halftime whistle.

In the second half, Fernandes capped off his historic afternoon by scoring the third and final goal to complete the comprehensive 3-0 rout of Brighton.

The spectacular performance further cements an incredible individual campaign for the midfielder, who was recently crowned both the Premier League Player of the Season and the FWA Player of the Year.

This record-breaking feat could serve as the ultimate catalyst to win the upcoming PFA Players’ Player of the Year award over title-winner Declan Rice and golden boot winner Erling Haaland.

If successful, Fernandes will join an elite group alongside the likes of Thierry Henry, Mohamed Salah, and Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the few players to win all three major individual honours in a single Premier League season.