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.
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.
More to follow.
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