Will Bruno Fernandes post the best-ever midfielder stats in Premier League?

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is threatening to enter an exclusive Premier League club occupied by only two players Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, who jointly hold the record for most assists in a single season (20).

 

Henry reached the milestone in Arsenal’s 2002/03 campaign, while De Bruyne matched it in 2019/20 despite Manchester City finishing runners-up. With Fernandes rediscovering his creative best, the question now is whether the Portuguese midfielder can equal or even surpass that landmark.

 

Fernandes Leading the 2025/26 Playmaker Race

 

Fernandes has surged to the top of the assist charts in 2025/26, producing 12 assists in his last 15 league appearances. He currently leads the race for the Coca-Cola Golden Playmaker award.

Following Manchester United’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, a match in which he also found the net, Fernandes has registered 18 Premier League goal involvements this season. 

Fernandes’ 2025/26 Premier League Numbers
Metric	Total
Goals	6
Assists	12
Goal involvements	18
Assists in last 15 PL matches	12
Club goal involvements since Jan 2020	200

 

After waiting until October 19 for his first assist of the campaign, a decisive delivery for Harry Maguire at Anfield, Fernandes has accelerated sharply. His early-season creativity largely stemmed from set-pieces, but recent weeks have showcased his open-play brilliance. 

 

Evolution From Set-Piece Specialist to Open-Play Creator

 

Fernandes’ first five assists this season originated from dead-ball situations. Casemiro (twice), Matthijs de Ligt, Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee benefited from his deliveries.

 

However, his influence has expanded significantly in open play:

 

A perfectly weighted cross for Mount in a win at Wolves, the precise through ball for Benjamin Sesko in a draw at Burnley. A 40-yard driving run before setting up Bryan Mbeumo against Manchester City or the intricate combination play leading to Patrick Dorgu’s goal versus Arsenal.

 

Since Ruben Amorim’s departure, interim managers Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick have deployed Fernandes in a more advanced No 10 role rather than deeper in midfield. The positional tweak appears to have maximised his impact inside the final third.

 

If he maintains his recent average of 0.8 assists per match across the remaining 13 fixtures, projections suggest he could finish with 22 assists, two beyond the current record. Sustaining that pace remains a formidable challenge, but mathematically the possibility exists. 

All-Time Premier League Single-Season Assist Record
Player	Season	Assists	Club
Thierry Henry	2002/03	20	Arsenal
Kevin De Bruyne	2019/20	20	Man City

 

  Fernandes currently sits on 12 with 12 matches remaining.

 

Race for the Golden Playmaker Award

 

Fernandes holds a five-assist advantage over his nearest competitor, Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki. 

2025/26 Assist Standings (Top Contenders)
Player	Assists
Bruno Fernandes	12
Rayan Cherki	7
Jack Grealish	6
Mohammed Kudus	5

 

If he maintains his lead, Fernandes would become the first Manchester United player to win the Golden Playmaker award since its introduction in 2017/18. Notably, De Bruyne remains the only midfielder to win the prize, with attackers typically dominating the category.

 

Set-Piece Excellence Driving Numbers

 

Seven of Fernandes’ 12 assists this season have come from dead-ball situations, placing him on course to challenge Steven Gerrard’s Premier League record of 11 set-piece assists in 2013/14. 

Most Set-Piece Assists in a PL Season
Player	Season	Set-Piece Assists
Steven Gerrard	2013/14	11
Chris Brunt	2014/15	9
Matthew Le Tissier	1994/95	8
Bruno Fernandes	2025/26	7 (ongoing)

 

Far-post corners have proven especially effective this season, contributing to goals against Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur.

 

Season-by-Season Assist Record

 

Fernandes has already equalled his highest-ever single-season assist tally in the Premier League, with 13 matches still to play. 

Fernandes’ Premier League Assist Record
Season	Assists	League Rank	Set-Piece Assists
2020/21	12	#NAME?	0
2021/22	6	#NAME?	0
2022/23	8	#NAME?	0
2023/24	8	#NAME?	2
2024/25	10	#NAME?	3
2025/26	12	1st	7

 

One more assist would mark a new personal best. 

 

Away-Day impact: A potential record in sight

 

Fernandes has been particularly influential away from Old Trafford, registering eight assists on the road. 

Most Away Assists in a Single PL Season
Player	Season	Away Assists
Cesc Fabregas	2014/15	11
Mohamed Salah	2024/25	11
Muzzy Izzet	2003/04	10
Bruno Fernandes	2025/26	8 (ongoing)

 

If he delivers four more away assists in United’s remaining seven road matches, he would establish a new record of 12.

 

What lies ahead?

 

Manchester United are unbeaten in five matches, with victories over Arsenal, Manchester City, Fulham and Tottenham, along with a draw against West Ham. Under Carrick, confidence appears restored.

 

For Fernandes, the path to history will require sustained excellence across both home and away fixtures. His repositioning as a No 10, combined with elite set-piece execution and improved open-play creativity, gives him a realistic, though demanding, opportunity to match or surpass Henry and De Bruyne.

 

Whether he reaches 20 or even 22 assists, Fernandes is already producing one of the most influential creative campaigns in recent Premier League memory.

 

Why Bruno's season could be deemed as the best ever by a midfielder?

 

While Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne produced some of the best seasons in their respective record breaking seasons, Bruno Fernandes could surpass that if the teams these players have played in are compared on any given day.

 

While Henry and De Bruyne played in sides competing for the title, Bruno has carried a Man United team that finished 15th last year and was under transition with manager Ruben Amorim getting sacked almost halfway through the season. Fighting for a top 4 spot this year, Bruno has been the main man for the Red Devils and if he goes on to break or match the record this year, this could be one of the best season ever by a midifelder in the league if not the best.