Manchester United Man Utd secured a nervy 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest Forest at Old Trafford on Sunday, but the real talking point was Bruno Fernandes’ assist for Alejandro Garnacho’s opener. The Portuguese midfielder now sits on 20 assists for the season, matching the Premier League record set by Kevin De Bruyne in 2019-20 and Thierry Henry in 2002-03. The achievement is even more remarkable given Fernandes has played 35 league games compared to De Bruyne’s 35 and Henry’s 38, showing his consistency in creating chances for teammates.

Fernandes delivers again as Man Utd grind out a win

The match itself was far from clean. Forest started brightly, with Taiwo Awoniyi testing André Onana early, while United struggled to find rhythm in the first half. It took until the 33rd minute for the breakthrough, when Fernandes curled a perfect delivery into the box for 18-year-old Garnacho to head past Wayne Hennessey. The goal was a reminder of why United paid £47m for Garnacho in 2022—he’s now scored six goals in his last eight games.

Forest nearly equalized before halftime when Callum Hudson-Odoi forced Onana into a smart save, but United stayed ahead at the break. The second half saw Forest pile on the pressure, and they got their reward in the 52nd minute when Morgan Gibbs-White’s cross was turned in by Anthony Elanga. The Swede’s goal was his fifth of the season and gave Forest hope of a point.

Late drama as United hold on for three points

United nearly conceded a second when Awoniyi headed wide in the 67th minute, but they regained control when Kobbie Mainoo scored his first senior goal in the 76th minute. The teenager, already a fan favorite for his composure, slotted home after Fernandes’ through ball split the Forest defense. Forest responded with a late consolation when Callum Hudson-Odoi curled a free-kick into the top corner in the 85th minute, but it wasn’t enough to deny United the win.

The result keeps United in seventh place, just four points behind sixth-placed Brighton, who have two games in hand. With Arsenal and Liverpool already secured for next season’s Champions League, the fight for the remaining spots is heating up. A win would have put Forest in touching distance of the Europa League, but a fifth-place finish is now looking like a long shot.

What this means for both teams

For United, the win is a morale boost ahead of next season. They finish their home campaign with a positive note, and Fernandes’ record-breaking assist haul will give Erik ten Hag something to build on. The Dutch manager’s job has been under scrutiny all season, but performances like this help his case. For Forest, the loss means they remain in 11th place, safe from relegation but still a long way off challenging for Europe. Their next game is against Wolves, another team fighting for survival.

The assist record is a personal milestone for Fernandes, who’s been United’s most creative player for years now. It also puts him in elite company. Only De Bruyne and Henry have hit 20 assists in a single Premier League season before. The fact that Fernandes did it while also contributing six goals himself shows just how dangerous he is in the final third. If United want to push for a top-four finish next season, they’ll need more of the same from him.

Old Trafford welcomed back a few familiar faces on Sunday too. Paul Scholes, now a pundit, was in the stands, while former striker Dimitar Berbatov watched from the hospitality area. Both men know what it takes to score and create goals at this level. Their presence was a reminder of the club’s history, even as United look to the future.

With the season winding down, the focus now shifts to the final few games. United still have a chance to secure a top-six finish, which would mean Europa League football next season. Forest, meanwhile, will be happy they avoided another late scare, but they’ll know they need to tighten up if they want to compete with the bigger clubs. One thing’s for sure—Fernandes won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: BBC Sport
  • Published: May 17, 2026 at 19:04 UTC
  • Category: Sports
  • Topics: #bbc · #sports · #football · #premier-league · #fernandes · #man-utd

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 17, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

O Manchester United voltou a brilhar no Campeonato Inglês com uma vitória emocionante por 3 a 2 sobre o Nottingham Forest, mas o grande destaque ficou por conta do craque Bruno Fernandes, que igualou o recorde de assistências na Premier League ao lado de lendas como Kevin De Bruyne e Thierry Henry. O meia português, ídolo da torcida brasileira, mostrou mais uma vez porque é considerado um dos principais armadores da atualidade, distribuindo passes precisos e decisivos que reacenderam as esperanças dos Red Devils na luta por uma vaga na próxima Champions League.

A façanha de Fernandes não é apenas um marco individual, mas também um alento para um time que tem sofrido com a irregularidade nas últimas temporadas. Com duas assistências no jogo contra o Forest, o camisa 8 do United alcançou a marca de 16 passes para gol na Premier League nesta temporada, igualando os recordes de De Bruyne e Henry, ícones do futebol inglês. Para os torcedores brasileiros, que acompanham o jogador desde sua passagem pelo Sporting CP, a performance reforça a esperança de vê-lo em alto nível novamente, especialmente em um momento crucial da temporada, com a equipe precisando urgentemente de pontos para garantir a classificação para a maior competição de clubes do mundo.

Se a tendência continuar, Bruno Fernandes pode não só superar o recorde, mas também se consolidar como uma peça fundamental no projeto de reconstrução do Manchester United, despertando o interesse de torcedores e analistas sobre o que ainda está por vir no restante da temporada.