Fernandes claims PL assists record outright ahead of Henry & De Bruyne

Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - Premier League

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has officially broken the all-time Premier League record for the most assists in a single season. The influential Portuguese midfielder secured his 21st assist of the campaign against Brighton on Sunday to move clear of Arsenal icon Thierry Henry and Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne in the history books.

Making history on the South Coast

Fernandes secured his historic 21st assist during a final-day clash with Brighton on Sunday. The playmaker, who arrived at United from Sporting in January 2020 for a fee of €65 million, floated in a trademark corner for Patrick Dorgu to head home the opening goal. This achievement saw Fernandes move clear of Henry and De Bruyne, who jointly held the single-season assists record before this campaign with 20 each. Fernandes has also scored eight goals himself this term, and was named Premier League Player of the Season on Saturday.

Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United - Premier League

A proud moment for the captain

Before reaching the momentous milestone, Fernandes acknowledged the calibre of the players he was competing against. Speaking previously to Sky Sports, the Portuguese international expressed his immense gratitude. He said: "It's something that I think about because we are talking about Kevin and Thierry, they were two of the best players that the Premier League has seen in a long, long time. Having the chance to be up there with their names - just for this category, let's not talk about the rest they have done in the Premier League - is very good, and I'm very proud of that."

Deflecting praise to his team-mates

Despite receiving widespread individual acclaim, Fernandes has continually stressed the importance of his colleagues. The midfielder boasts an incredible overall record of 106 goals in 327 appearances for United, but he was quick to point out that a creator is nothing without clinical finishers. Following his 20th assist against Nottingham Forest in United's previous game, he stated: "I'm very grateful to see their reaction more than mine because I wanted Bryan [Mbeumo] to celebrate his goal. I didn't want to make it about myself because at the end of the day scoring the goal is the biggest thing in football. And all credit to Bryan because if he doesn't put it on the back of the net, my record will not be there. So these records only come if your team-mates do the things right as you do."

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What next for the record-breaker?

After writing his name into the history books, Fernandes will shift his immediate focus to the World Cup with Portugal. With his contract at United expiring on June 30, 2027, the captain remains vital to the club's future ambitions, and it has been reported he is in line for a lucrative extension.