Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes downplayed his landmark 100th assist for the club during the recent Premier League clash with Aston Villa, highlighting his satisfaction in enabling teammates to find the net.
Key Moments from the Match
Casemiro broke the deadlock early in the second half with a header from Fernandes’ corner kick. Aston Villa responded swiftly as Ross Barkley slotted into the bottom left corner in the 64th minute to level the score.
The lead lasted only six minutes. Matheus Cunha restored United’s advantage with a composed finish at the Stretford End, courtesy of an excellent pass from Fernandes. Benjamin Sesko then sealed the win with a goal after coming off the bench.
Fernandes Reflects on Personal Milestone
The Portugal international now boasts 16 assists in the Premier League this season, just four short of the 20-assist record held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
Speaking about reaching 100 assists for United, Fernandes stated: “I am more pleased because I did it serving my teammates. That is even better, giving joy to the others is very good. I am very happy I can help them to score and be happy. It’s a huge achievement for me. Main achievement will be in the top spots at the end of the season.”
Victory Boosts Champions League Hopes
A delighted Fernandes added on the win: “It was very important against a direct opponent. We had the same points, so getting this advantage from them is always good. We needed to win the game after the last game. Today we did the job, I still think we can do much better.”
He praised Villa’s organization: “In the Premier League every game is difficult. Villa are very well organised and know what they have to do. The plan against us is always very good. They have individual players that can make such a difference. It was about following our plan, we did it very well. We knew they had a high line and had to make sure our runs were on point. It looks easy, but it is more difficult. If the timing is not perfect its very difficult. We did it today and we won the game.”
The result strengthens United’s push for Champions League qualification, placing them six points ahead of Chelsea in fifth. Villa led the table over United for much of the first half of the season, but the Reds surged past Unai Emery’s side following their victory over Crystal Palace earlier this month. United trail Manchester City in second by seven points.
