Bruno Fernandes expresses pride after equalling assist feat of Henry and De Bruyne

The 31 year old helped Michael Carricks squad claim third spot by assisting Bryan Mbeumo for Uniteds third goal in their 3 to 2 victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

The Portuguese midfielder is just the third player to provide 20 assists in a Premier League season joining Arsenal great Henry in 2002/03 and Manchester City star De Bruyne in 2019/20 in an elite bracket.

"Obviously I am very proud" Fernandes said on the Old Trafford touchline.

"We are speaking about Thierry and Kevin two of the main names of the Premier League and for me I am very grateful and I am very happy to do it. It is a very proud moment."

Fernandes named as Uniteds player of the year for a record breaking fifth time now has the chance to reach 21 assists in Sundays season finale at Brighton.

"Lets see" he said. "It does not change the way I play my game so I will still have to create things for my team and hopefully it can happen.

"But if it does not happen I am already very happy because I have never done 20 assists in the Premier League. I have never done 19 either so even if I had finished with 19 I would be very happy."

The United captain was mobbed when Mbeumo converted his cross in the 76th minute with goalkeeper Senne Lammens joining every United outfield player in celebrating a record he claims he only started thinking about when he collected his 19th assist.

"I am very grateful to see their reaction more than mine because I wanted Bryan to celebrate his goal" Fernandes added.

"I did not want to make it about myself because at the end of the day scoring the goal is the biggest thing in football and all credit to Bryan because if he does not put it in the back of the net my record will not be there."