Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes equaled the Premier League record for assists in a season as he helped his team secure third place with a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest. The assist came from a cross by Fernandes, which Bryan Mbeumo turned home to make it 3-1.
Bruno Fernandes gets 20th Premier League assist of season as Mbeumo scores third Bruno Fernandes equalled the Premier League record for assists in a season as Manchester United won an entertaining five-goal encounter with Nottingham Forest .
Fernandes' cross from the right was turned home by Bryan Mbeumo to make it 3-1, taking the United skipper level with Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne on 20 assists - with one game of the season remaining. On a day when Casemiro received a standing ovation on his Old Trafford farewell nine minutes from time, United got the result they needed to secure third place under Michael Carrick, who is still to be officially confirmed as permanent boss.
Fernandes' achievement at least took some of the headlines away from yet another contentious VAR incident. Forest had only just cancelled out Luke Shaw's fifth-minute opener, through Morato's header, when Diogo Dalot crossed for Mbeumo. The Cameroon forward appeared to control the ball between his upper arm and his side before having his shot deflected into the path of Matheus Cunha, who applied the first-time finish.
Referee Michael Salisbury gave the goal but, rather than rule it out as expected after being sent to the screen by VAR Matthew Donohue, after numerous checks and to a cacophony of boos from both sets of fans over the time taken to reach a decision - he confirmed his initial decision, as the ball had deflected off Mbeumo's hip. Morgan Gibbs-White scored a second for Forest 12 minutes from time but the visitors were unable to force an equaliser.
Cunha almost laughed at Shaw's impromptu reaction at scoring. It was hardly a surprise. The left-back's last Premier League goal came against Bournemouth in January 2023. It was only his fifth in all competitions for United.
Fernandes had already had two games to get his 20th assist. When Mbeumo blazed over after being sent through by the Portugal midfielder, Fernandes buried his head in the turf, presumably fearing the momentous assist would never come.
Finally - after Mbeumo had wasted another chance to break a goal drought stretching back to 7 February when he thudded a first-half shot against the post - it came, sparking gleeful celebrations from the United players, who ran to Fernandes almost before acclaiming the man who had scored the goal. Fernandes might have had the record to himself, only for Dalot to thud a shot against the base of a post in stoppage time, after nicking the ball away from his fellow countryman.
The Brazilian looked genuinely moved as he made his way slowly to the touchline when he was replaced by Mason Mount nine minutes from time, shaking hands with team-mates on the way. Joshua Zirkzee came close to adding another for the hosts just before the end. But it didn't really matter on a day when Fernandes and Casemiro took centre stage. Elliot Anderson is Manchester United's number one midfield target to replace Casemiro this summer.
United know that Manchester City, among plenty of others, are also keen - and they are also unwilling to pay £120m for the England man. Unlike another midfield option Carlos Baleba, who failed to make any impression when he played at Old Trafford for Brighton earlier this season, Anderson shone.
His covering play was efficient, but he also excelled in making the kind of driving run out of midfield that Casemiro, for all his attributes, can no longer do - and his cross for Morato's equaliser was perfect. Clearly, Forest have a desire to drive the price up as high as possible as they look at a rebuild, after dicing too close to relegation for owner Evangelos Marinakis' liking.
While Anderson's exit appears certain, the future of skipper Morgan Gibbs-White is also the subject of intense debate. Gibbs-White seemed certain to join Tottenham last summer but instead signed a new long-term deal with Forest. His importance to the side cannot be understated, and his absence from the second leg of the Europa League semi-final with Aston Villa was a significant factor in Forest's eventual defeat.
Wearing a face mask to protect the massive scarring on his face, Gibbs-White ghosted into space inside the penalty area midway through the first half and was only denied by Senne Lammens' save with his feet. When he did something similar in the second, his first-time finish found the bottom corner. Manchester United complete their Premier League campaign at Brighton on Sunday, 24 May .
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Match momentum measures the swing of the match by comparing each team’s threat to see who is more likely to score within that minute. The momentum value is the difference between each team’s most dangerous moment, or team threat, in that minute. Match momentum measures the swing of the match by comparing each team’s threat to see who is more likely to score within that minute.
The momentum value is the difference between each team’s most dangerous moment, or team threat, in that minute. Manchester United are winless in their last four Premier League games against Nottingham Forest , having won eight in a row against them before this. Nottingham Forest won this exact fixture 3-2 last season – only once have they won consecutive away league games against Manchester United, doing so under Brian Clough in September 1990/April 1992.
Manchester United have only lost their final home league match in one of the last 18 seasons , going down 2-0 against Cardiff City in 2018-19. Nottingham Forest have won their final away league match in each of the last two seasons, last doing so in more consecutive campaigns between 1980-81 and 1983-84 . Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Sunderland last time out ended their 23-game scoring streak in the Premier League.
They last failed to score in consecutive games in May 2025, while they’ve not recorded consecutive clean sheets since September 2024. Nottingham Forest are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games , last having a longer run within the same top-flight season in their first 12 matches of 1995-96. Only Man City and Arsenal have opened the scoring in more different Premier League games than Man Utd this season .
The Red Devils and Nottingham Forest are two of three sides still unbeaten when scoring first this term. Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White has been involved in five goals in his last five Premier League games against Manchester United , both scoring and assisting in this exact fixture last season.
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes has created 124 chances in the Premier League this season, the fourth most on record in a single campaign after Mesut Özil in 2015-16 , Kevin De Bruyne in 2019-20 and Frank Lampard in 2008-09 . Benjamin Sesko is Man Utd’s top Premier League goalscorer with 11 goals this season, while fellow new signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have nine each.
The only team to have three players score 10+ goals in their first season with the club are Arsenal in 2012-13 . Second Half ends, Manchester United 3, Nottingham Forest 2. Attempt saved. Joshua Zirkzee right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Matz Sels .
Attempt blocked. Joshua Zirkzee right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Bruno Fernandes. Diogo Dalot hits the right post with a left footed shot from the left side of the box.
Attempt saved. Joshua Zirkzee left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Matz Sels . Attempt missed. Mason Mount right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Assisted by Kobbie Mainoo with a headed pass following a set piece situation. Foul by Elliot Anderson . Foul by Luke Shaw . Attempt missed.
Taiwo Awoniyi right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by James McAtee. Attempt missed. Bruno Fernandes right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Assisted by Joshua Zirkzee. Attempt blocked. Morgan Gibbs-White left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jair Cunha.
Please follow us on Google to support us Bruno Fernandes Premier League Assist Record Manchester United Nottingham Forest Third Place Michael Salisbury VAR Morgan Gibbs-White Joshua Zirkzee Elliot Anderson Carlos Baleba
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