Fernandes breaks assists record - is he most creative Premier League player ever?

Bruno Fernandes broke the Premier League assists record for a single season when he set up a goal for the 21st time in this campaign.

The Manchester United captain's corner was headed into Brighton's net by Patrick Dorgu on the final day of the Premier League season.

The Manchester United captain equalled the record when he had a low cross tapped in by Bryan Mbeumo as his side beat Nottingham Forest on 17 May.

His assist at Brighton moved him ahead of ex-Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne and former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry for the most assists in a season.

Fernandes remains in sensational form. Before the final game of the season, he had created 132 chances, the most in the Premier League and a staggering 58 chances more than the next best tally, by Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai.

He also won the Football Writers' Association's men's Footballer of the Year award last week and was named Premier League player of the season on Saturday.

With records being broken and awards won, is Fernandes the Premier League's most creative player ever?

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The numbers that put Fernandes in elite bracket

Since Fernandes' arrival in the Premier League six years ago, no player has created more chances than him - and by some distance.

He had created 670 chances since January 2020 going into the final day - 238 more than De Bruyne, who is next on the list.

Nobody has made more assists since Fernandes' Premier League debut (71) and only five players have scored more than his 70 league goals.

When combining Premier League goals and assists, only Mohamed Salah (193) betters Fernandes' 141 in that time.

"Fernandes has just achieved something exceptional in Premier League football," said former United right-back Gary Neville on Sky Sports after he equalled the record.

"To go level with Kevin de Bruyne and Thierry Henry for 20 assists in a single season is a magical moment for him."

Against Forest Fernandes created eight chances, four more than any other player in the game, and almost had a 21st assist of the season late on after setting up Joshua Zirkzee - whose low shot was superbly saved.

"They've been trying to score from my passes," Fernandes joked to Sky Sports after thatgame.

"I'm very happy for the assist and for the win, and to finish the season on a high.

"It's the highest I've done in the Premier League so I am very happy with it."

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick praised his captain after the Forest match, telling Sky Sports: "It's what he's good at. He's got a real knack and gift for creating opportunities. For creating things and knowing what's around him."

His record-equalling campaign has also already led to him becoming Manchester United's leading creator in a single season, having surpassed the previous record of 15 held by David Beckham in 1999-00.

Fernandes' 72league assists for Manchester United, across seven seasons at the club, puts him level with Tottenham legend Son Heung-min.

He does, however, still have a long way to go to break the record for most assists ever in the Premier League - that is held by Ryan Giggs with 162.

And he would needto create 14 more chances against Brighton to equal Mesut Ozil's record of most chances created in a single season (146 with Arsenal in 2015-16).

'No individual has done more to lift his team'

This time last year there was genuine debate about Fernandes and whether United would be better served accepting a huge offer from Al-Hilal and using the money to reinforce their squad.

United eventually left it to Fernandes to decide and, after some wise words from his wife asking him whether he had achieved all he wanted at Old Trafford, he decided to stay.

The club's hierarchy should be thanking Mrs Fernandes at the end of this season.

No-one knows what the alternative reality would have been, but it is tough to imagine anyone matching Fernandes' contribution this season.

Equalling the Premier League's seasonal assist record clearly took on more significance as the campaign came to its close but, in the aftermath of Michael Carrick's arrival, when the season was teetering on the edge and could have gone one way or the other, Fernandes came to the fore.

Seventeen goal contributions in 16 games swept United into the Champions League and opens the door to a bright future. Had Fernandes not been there, is it conceivable someone else would have achieved those numbers?

When his FWA Player of the Year award was questioned, the argument was Arsenal are a better team and the winner should be from their squad.

The reality is this season, no individual has done more to lift their team.

Fernandes' United future is still to be resolved. It would be fitting if Fernandes breaking the assists record was accompanied by Fernandes' stay being extended at Old Trafford.

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