Bruno Fernandes Breaks the Assist Record as Manchester United Close Out a Transformed Season

Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 at Old Trafford on May 17, then closed the season with a 3-0 win at Brighton on May 24. Between those two results, Bruno Fernandes rewrote the Premier League record books, and Casemiro played his last game in a United shirt.

The Forest Game: Fernandes Ties the Record

Luke Shaw opened the scoring in the 5th minute, a low half-volley that ended a 73-match run without a Premier League goal.

Morato equalized for Forest in the 53rd minute, heading in a corner delivered by Elliot Anderson.

United responded two minutes later. Bryan Mbeumo controlled the ball with his arm in the build-up, and Matheus Cunha finished the move. Referee Michael Salisbury checked it on VAR and let the goal stand.

In the 76th minute, Fernandes sent a low cross across the box for Mbeumo to tap in. It was Fernandes’s 20th assist of the season, drawing him level with Thierry Henry (2002/03) and Kevin De Bruyne (2019/20) for the most assists in a single Premier League campaign.

Morgan Gibbs-White pulled one back for Forest in the 78th minute to make it 3-2, the final score.

The result confirmed United’s third-place finish and a return to the Champions League.

The Farewell: Casemiro’s Last Home Game

Before kickoff, Old Trafford unveiled a tribute banner for Casemiro, playing his final home match for the club.

Casemiro joined United from Real Madrid for a fee that rose to around £70 million in August 2022. He leaves having made 160 appearances and scored 26 goals, with an EFL Cup win in 2023 and an FA Cup win in 2024 among his honors. He also featured in United’s run to the 2025 Europa League final.

His standing with supporters dipped badly during the 2023/24 season, when his form drew sharp public criticism, including from former defender Jamie Carragher. This season reversed that. Casemiro started 33 league games under interim manager Michael Carrick, scored nine goals, and was central to United’s revival.

His contract expired at the end of the season, and the club confirmed his departure back in January. He is widely expected to join Inter Miami in MLS, though LA Galaxy holding his discovery rights has complicated the move.

The Brighton Finale: Fernandes Breaks the Record Outright

United closed the season at the Amex Stadium with a comfortable 3-0 win.

In the 32nd minute, Fernandes swung in a corner that Patrick Dorgu headed home off the crossbar. It was Fernandes’s 21st assist of the season, breaking the Premier League single-season record outright.

The total also matched the all-time mark across Europe’s top five leagues, a figure held jointly by Lionel Messi (2019/20, Barcelona) and Thomas Müller (2019/20, Bayern Munich).

Bryan Mbeumo added United’s second goal, set up by Amad Diallo. The Dubious Goals Panel confirmed Dorgu’s header as a valid assist after former PGMOL official Keith Hackett publicly disputed the decision.

Fernandes finished the season with the following honors:

• Premier League Player of the Season
• FWA Footballer of the Year
• Premier League’s all-time leading single-season assist provider, with 21

Carrick Gets the Job Permanently

Ruben Amorim was sacked as United manager on January 5, 2026, following a run of three wins in 11 matches and a public disagreement with the club’s hierarchy. Former midfielder Michael Carrick took over as interim head coach eight days later.

Carrick won 11 of his 16 league matches in charge, including victories over Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea. United picked up more points than any other Premier League club during that stretch.

On May 22, the club confirmed Carrick as permanent manager on a deal running to 2028.

What It Means Going Into 2026/27

United finished third, twelve places higher than the previous season, and secured Champions League football without a single major trophy. The campaign was unusually short by recent United standards: both domestic cups ended at the first hurdle, leaving just 40 competitive fixtures all season.

Fernandes now holds the league’s single-season assist record outright. Casemiro’s locker is empty. Carrick has a contract and a full preseason to build a squad capable of competing on more fronts than this one ever asked of it.