Just seconds after scoring a goal to help Manchester United take the lead against Aston Villa, Matheus Cunha turned around and pointed to Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes' sharp pass tore apart Aston Villa's defense, creating a favorable opportunity for Cunha to score. The Brazilian striker's action was like a recognition of Fernandes' composure and influence in a match that was quite chaotic at many times.
More importantly, that moment emphasized that at the age of 31, Fernandes is still the central factor of Man United. Previously, Fernandes was also the one who took a corner kick for Casemiro to jump high and head the ball to open the score, contributing to helping the Old Trafford team win 3-1.
Two assists in this match helped Fernandes increase his total number of assists to 16 in the Premier League this season, surpassing the record of 15 assists that David Beckham set for Man United 26 years ago.
The Portuguese midfielder is currently only 4 assists away from the milestone of 20 assists - a record previously set by Thierry Henry (2002-2003 season) and Kevin De Bruyne (2019-2020 season).
With the remaining 8 rounds, Fernandes' ability to reach this milestone is completely feasible. After the match, interim coach Michael Carrick did not hesitate to praise his student: "He has done that for a long time. In important moments, when the team needs to make a difference, Bruno often appears".
Last summer, Fernandes received a big offer from Al-Hilal but decided to refuse to continue to stick with Man United. However, his future is still uncertain. According to revelations from Portuguese media in December, this midfielder is still considering options for the final stage of his career.
The £57 million release clause means that the decision is not entirely in Man United's hands. However, if the team qualifies for the UEFA Champions League next season, Fernandes' ability to continue to stick with Old Trafford will increase significantly.
His contributions this season have directly brought 25 points for Man United - a record only behind two club legends, Robin van Persie (38 points in the 2012-2013 season) and Eric Cantona (26 points in the 1993-1994 season).
You can always have absolute faith in him. That is an extremely precious quality. Despite having gone through many ups and downs here, Bruno has never let difficulties subdue him. Today, he is once again present to make a difference for the team" - the interim Man United coach added.
Besides Fernandes' story, Man United also has to prepare for a major summer reconstruction, especially in midfield. Casemiro is said to leave the club after this season. However, after the goal against Aston Villa, fans in the Stretford End stands still chanted "another year" to show gratitude to the Brazilian midfielder.
Carrick admits that finding a replacement for Casemiro will not be easy, especially when this player is still having a big influence in the dressing room. With having to decide Carrick's future, find a replacement for Casemiro and keep Fernandes, Man United is entering a pivotal summer.
However, the performance against Aston Villa once again confirmed that Fernandes is still the most important star of the team, and is leading them in the race to win a Champions League spot.
