Manchester United’s attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes made history at Old Trafford on Sunday. He set up two goals in their 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, matching the Premier League’s single-season assist record. That puts him level with Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah, who both hit 16 assists in a season. Bruno now has 13 assists for the campaign, with six games left to chase the record outright.

The first assist came in the 10th minute when his cross found Alejandro Garnacho, who headed the ball back across goal. It ricocheted off Forest defender Murillo and into the net. But the second goal created even more controversy. In the 36th minute, Alejandro Cunha — a 20-year-old forward making just his second Premier League start — pounced on a loose ball in the box and slotted it past Forest keeper Wayne Hennessey. Replays showed the ball hit Cunha’s hand before he controlled it, but referee Michael Oliver waved play on, sparking immediate protests from the Forest players.

VAR stepped in but only to check if Cunha was offside in the buildup, not for the handball incident. The goal stood, and it proved crucial. Forest nearly equalized twice in the first half, but both efforts were chalked off after tight VAR reviews. The first was ruled out for offside against Taiwo Awoniyi, and the second was disallowed because Morgan Gibbs-White was penalized for a foul on Lisandro Martínez before the chance arose.

The second half was more straightforward for Manchester United. Garnacho added a third in the 59th minute, finishing coolly after a swift counterattack led by Kobbie Mainoo. The home side controlled the game comfortably, with André Onana making a handful of saves to preserve the clean sheet. Forest barely threatened, managing just two shots on target all game.

For Erik ten Hag, the win was a rare bright spot in a difficult season. United have now won three straight league games for the first time since August, moving them to within three points of the Europa League spots. But the controversy around Cunha’s goal will linger. Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo was furious, calling it a “clear handball” and demanding retrospective action. The FA will review the incident, though bans for players after matches are rare unless the offence is deemed violent or intentional.

Bruno Fernandes, meanwhile, continues to be the heartbeat of this United side. He’s now just three assists away from breaking the Premier League record, and with games against Fulham and Brentford still to come, he’s got a real shot. The bigger question is whether United can keep this momentum going. They’re still 15 points behind the top four, but three wins in a row is a start.

What happens next? Forest will push for an appeal over the Cunha goal, though the chances of it being overturned are slim. United, meanwhile, will look to close the gap in the table with a win against Fulham on Saturday. If they keep this form up, they might just climb back into the top half before the season ends.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: Sky Sports
  • Published: May 17, 2026 at 14:51 UTC
  • Category: Sports
  • Topics: #sky-sports · #football · #premier-league · #sports · #bruno · #cunha

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 17, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

O camisa 8 do Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes, igualou o recorde de assistências da Premier League em uma única temporada, protagonizando mais uma exibição de gala na goleada por 3 a 0 sobre o Nottingham Forest. A partida, no entanto, ficou marcada pela polêmica em torno do terceiro gol, marcado pelo camisa 9 Rafael da Cunha em posição irregular, que selou a terceira vitória consecutiva dos Red Devils.

A façanha de Bruno não só reforça sua importância no elenco de Erik ten Hag, como também coloca o Brasil em destaque mais uma vez na principal liga do mundo. Com 18 passes decisivos na temporada, o meia português, que atua pela seleção lusitana, superou marcas de grandes nomes como Kevin De Bruyne e Thomas Müller, consolidando-se como um dos principais assistentes do futebol europeu. Para os torcedores brasileiros, a performance do camisa 8 reacende a discussão sobre a presença de jogadores lusofônicos no topo do esporte mundial, enquanto a polêmica do gol de Cunha levanta questões sobre a transparência das decisões arbitrais. A próxima partida, contra o Chelsea, promete mais emoção e cobranças sobre o VAR.