Bruno Fernandes 'just doing his job' as he now targets assist record for Man Utd

Bruno Fernandes says he is "just doing his job" after going into the history books with the number of assists for Manchester United this season.

He is level with Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne and is now targeting a record-breaking Premier League assist in United’s final game of the season.

The 31-year-old has shone since turning down the chance to move to Saudi Arabia last summer and helped the Red Devils wrap up third place by setting up Bryan Mbeumo for the key goal in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest.

It saw Fernandes become just the third player to provide 20 assists in a Premier League season, joining Arsenal great Henry (2002-03) and Manchester City star De Bruyne (2019-20) in an elite bracket.

"I never dreamed about being among the top assist makers in the Premier League but obviously when you start getting close you think about it, but at the same time it is my job to serve my teammates to put them in position to score goals," said Fernandes.

Fernandes, who collects the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award today, now has the chance to break the record in Sunday’s season finale at Brighton.

“Let’s see,” he said. “It doesn’t change the way I play my game, so 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.”

Fernandes says pride rather than relief was his overriding emotion having been repeatedly frustrated in his attempt to provide an assist against Forest.

The skipper fell to the deck after Mbeumo blazed over a glorious second-half chance but the summer signing would later convert his cross, scoring his first goal since February.

“I’m very happy that I did it and Bryan ended up scoring a goal also because it was very good for him,” Fernandes said.

“He’s been going through a period where he can’t score, and he was probably our main scorer in the beginning of the season, so I’m very happy for him too.”

Fernandes was mobbed when Mbeumo converted the cross, with goalkeeper Senne Lammens joining every United outfield player in celebrating a record he claims he only started thinking about when he collected his 19th.

“I’m very grateful to see their reaction more than mine because I wanted Bryan to celebrate his goal,” Fernandes added.

“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 in 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.”