Man Utd’s Fernandes trumps Arsenal to Premier League player of season award

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Manchester ‌United captain Bruno Fernandes has been named the ⁠Premier League ⁠player of the season after guiding his club to third place in the ⁠standings while equalling the league’s assists record with a game to spare.

Fernandes tied the league ⁠record of 20 assists, jointly held by former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry and ex-Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, with one game of the season to spare.

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The Portugal international also scored eight goals as United ‌secured a third-place finish to qualify for the Champions League.

The 31-year-old midfielder was nominated alongside Arsenal’s title-winning trio of Gabriel, David Raya and Declan Rice, Man City’s Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo, Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White and Brentford striker ⁠Igor Thiago.

Fernandes emerged as the ⁠Premier League’s best playmaker this season when he created a league-high 132 chances. The next best player was Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai, who ⁠created 89 chances.

Fernandes was named the Football Writers’ Association men’s player of ⁠the year earlier this month, while he also picked up the club’s Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year honour for the fifth time.

He has the opportunity ‌to make the Premier League assists record his own on Sunday when United travel to Brighton & Hove ‌Albion ‌for the final game of the season.

The award for Fernandes marks a rare occasion that a player that was not part of a title winning side that season is recognised for their achievement. Kevin De Bruyne’s 2020 award, when Liverpool won the league, was the last example.

United’s return to form since sacking Ruben Amorim as manager in January saw interim head coach Michael Carrick appointed as his permanent replacement on Friday.

Fernandes will line up for Portugal at this summer’s 2026 World Cup, with his nation opening their campaign against Congo on June 17, before facing Uzbekistan and Colombia.