Is Bruno Fernandes on the Verge of Shattering the Premier League Assist Record?

Bruno Fernandes is closing in on Premier League history, just a handful of assists away from the single-season record that has stood for over two decades.

Remarkably, this campaign began with questions about whether Fernandes was actually helping United or was in fact the root of their problems. That notion has since been thoroughly debunked.

Even so, Fernandes could have departed for the Saudi Pro League. He was keen to remain, but later admitted openly that he would have made the move had the club shown any willingness to sell.

Fortunately, the club's hierarchy were equally determined to hold onto him.

The Premier League's single-season assist record stands at 20, established by Arsenal icon Thierry Henry in 2002–03—at the height of his brilliance, the Frenchman also netted 24 league goals that year. Nobody has surpassed that mark, though Kevin De Bruyne did equal it in 2019–20.

Most Assists in a Premier League Season

*season still ongoing

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka appeared set to shatter the record last season, storming to 11 Premier League assists in just 13 games by late November. Cruelly, a hamstring injury in December sidelined him until April, and he failed to add a single assist to his total.

At this point in the 2025–26 season, Fernandes has accumulated 18 Premier League assists. The 18th of those teed up Matheus Cunha's decisive goal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, a win that all but secures Champions League qualification.

What Fernandes Needs to Break Assist Record

He needs two more to draw level with the assist record, and three to surpass it outright. Manchester United have five fixtures remaining.

Fernandes has featured 30 times in the Premier League this season, missing three matches through injury in late December and early January—an unusual absence for him. Having logged 2,618 minutes on the field, the Portugal international has averaged one assist every 145 minutes played.

With up to 450 minutes of Premier League football still to come, Fernandes would, at that rate, be expected to contribute the three assists needed to reach 21 and claim the record outright.

Yet the United skipper could go even further than a one-assist margin.

Fernandes endured a sluggish start to the campaign—possibly a residual effect of the summer's uncertainty, or perhaps a consequence of adapting to a deeper position under Ruben Amorim. He failed to register an assist in any of his first seven Premier League outings, despite his side scoring with reasonable frequency. As a result, all 18 of his assists have arrived across his last 23 appearances.

While still deployed in central midfield, Fernandes picked up after the October international break. However, his assist output has gone into overdrive since Michael Carrick was named interim manager in January and moved him back into the No. 10 position that showcases his elite qualities.

He has racked up 11 Premier League assists in his last 13 league outings, spanning 1,141 minutes—an even more extraordinary rate of one assist every 107 minutes on average. Extrapolating that over 450 remaining minutes suggests he could add four more assists, potentially reaching 22.

Man Utd's Remaining Premier League Fixtures