Bruno Fernandes is on the verge of breaking a historic record in the Premier League, but a controversy over an assist threatens to delay the Portuguese midfielder’s iconic moment at Manchester United. Before the highly anticipated clash against Liverpool, Fernandes needed just one assist to equal the record of 20 assists in a single Premier League season, currently held jointly by Thierry Henry (2002-03) and Kevin De Bruyne (2019-20).
In the decisive match, Bruno Fernandes appeared to be on the brink of achieving this feat when he assisted Benjamin Sesko for Manchester United’s second goal. Fernandes’ precise header directed the ball to Sesko, who converted it into a goal. However, an intervention by Liverpool’s substitute goalkeeper, Freddie Woodman, raised doubts about the validity of the assist. Woodman slightly touched the ball before the goal, which led the official Premier League data not to award the assist to Fernandes.
However, the controversy is fueled by a crucial detail: the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) adopted a rule change for the current season that completely altered the way assists are counted. The new FPL policy, explained on its official website, states that an assist will be awarded as long as the pass meets two fundamental criteria: the player receiving the pass must be in the area, and the opponent’s touch must not be sufficient to substantially alter the trajectory of the ball.
According to this new rule, Fernandes already had 20 assists counted for the Fantasy Premier League before the game against Liverpool, and the pass to Sesko counted as his 21st assist in the Fantasy competition. This fact places Bruno Fernandes in a prominent position and makes his performance even more impressive, although the official data from the Premier League has yet to recognize the assist due to Woodman’s touch.
This divergence between what the Fantasy Premier League counts and what the official data from the Premier League confirms leaves the question open: did Bruno Fernandes break the record for the most assists in a single season? For fans and analysts, the debate remains heated, highlighting the complexity and subjectivity inherent in the attribution of such statistics in modern football.
Bruno Fernandes continues his quest to cement his place in Premier League history, while the controversy surrounding his assist against Liverpool promises to spark even more debate among fans, experts, and football lovers worldwide. The fight for the record remains alive, and each game is now a new opportunity for the Portuguese midfielder to leave his indelible mark on the English league.
This article first appeared on Apito Final.
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