For most of the time Bruno Fernandes wore the Manchester United shirt, most of the time he had to live with the mediocrity of the team or times when he did not fully meet expectations. However, Fernandes still affirmed the đẳng cấp (level/class) of one of the best players in the Premier League, even capable of reaching the legendary position of the league.
Fernandes certainly has faced a lot of criticism. But in terms of stable form, influence and level of impact on playing style, no one at Man United has compared him since arriving at Old Trafford nearly 6 years ago.
In fact, Fernandes is almost certainly Man United's best player in the post-Alex Ferguson era, and in many aspects, he has also shown progress over time.
This season, or more precisely since October last year, the 31-year-old midfielder has reached a form that can be considered the peak of "Red Devils" in terms of creativity. The Portuguese star went through a series of matches that were rarely seen in him before, and that brought Fernandes to a position of confidence enough to think about a record.
The assist record in a Premier League season is currently 20, set by Thierry Henry in the 2002-2003 season and equalized by Kevin De Bruyne in the 2019-2020 season. Fernandes currently has 12 assists and still has 14 games to play in the season.
It is necessary to admit that assists are not always the perfect measure of creativity. But when the story is associated with record milestones, and with a player who everyone knows is a master at creating opportunities, this number is still worth objectively considering.
The calculation is very clear when Fernandes needs 8 more assists in 14 matches to equalize the record and 9 assists to break the record. It sounds harsh, but it is not impossible.
In fact, there have been many cases where a player created up to 9 assists in 14 matches of the same Premier League season. There have been 39 cases of players reaching 9 or more assists in 14 matches in a Premier League season, including Fernandes currently. All 12 of his assists came from the last 14 Premier League matches.
However, maintaining a stable assist speed is always an extremely difficult problem. The obvious reason is that this is a large indicator depending on whether teammates take advantage of opportunities or not.
Whether Fernandes can equalize or break the assist record or not, the Portuguese international is still as sharp as usual. Just one more assist, Fernandes will set a new personal record in the Premier League with 13 assists in a season.
Fernandes is likely to continue to be dragged into debates - just like last season, when the possibility of him leaving Old Trafford was seriously mentioned. Although about to turn 32 in September, Fernandes is still an extremely valuable asset. But that will not be true forever.
It will be time for Man United to consider whether the money earned from selling him is worth more than what he brings on the field. However, because Fernandes' playing style has never been dependent on speed, it is highly likely that he can still play an important role for many more years.
And whether he reaches the assist record or not, that prospect becoming feasible is enough to affirm Fernandes' extraordinary productivity. At the same time, it also emphasizes his admirable stability throughout his playing time in the volatile environment at Old Trafford.
