Overview
- Fernandes reached 20 league assists in a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, a result at Old Trafford that confirmed third place and a return to the Champions League.
- His low cross was turned in by Bryan Mbeumo for United’s third goal, matching the single-season mark held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
- The match featured a disputed handball in the build-up to Matheus Cunha’s goal, with referee Michael Salisbury upholding his decision after a VAR review and calling it accidental, a stance several TV pundits criticized.
- Manager Michael Carrick praised Fernandes for handling the pressure of the chase and said his own future should be clarified in the coming days.
- Much of Fernandes’s creative surge has come under Carrick, with reports noting most of his assists arrived after the mid-season change, and his campaign also includes the FWA Footballer of the Year award as he targets Brighton next weekend to own the record and possibly chase Steven Gerrard’s set-piece mark.