Bruno Fernandes named Premier League player of the season

LONDON: Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes was named Premier League player of the season on Saturday after equalling the league’s single-season assists record and helping his side secure a top-three finish.

The Portugal international matched the record of 20 assists held jointly by former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry and ex-Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, achieving the milestone with a game to spare.

Fernandes also scored eight goals as Manchester United finished third in the Premier League, sealing qualification for next season’s Champions League.

The 31-year-old was recognised after a season in which he also led the league in chances created, producing 132 opportunities — well ahead of Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai, who ranked second with 89.

He was nominated alongside several leading Premier League players, including Arsenal trio Gabriel, David Raya and Declan Rice, Manchester City duo Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo, Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White and Brentford striker Igor Thiago.

Fernandes has already been named Football Writers’ Association Men’s Player of the Year this season and also won Manchester United’s Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award for a fifth time.

The midfielder now has a final opportunity to set a new outright assists record when United face Brighton & Hove Albion in their final league match on Sunday.