Bruno Fernandes breaks David Beckham record: Two Premier League legends are next targets
The United captain surpasses Beckham’s 26-year-old club record with a masterclass against Aston Villa
Bruno Fernandes etched his name further into Manchester United folklore on Sunday afternoon, delivering a two-assist performance in a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa that officially ended David Beckham‘s long-standing reign as the club’s single-season assist king.
By providing the service for Casemiro’s opener and Matheus Cunha’s decisive 71st-minute strike, Fernandes reached 16 Premier League assists for the 2025/26 campaign.
The achievement eclipses the 15 assists Beckham amassed during the historic 1999/2000 season, a record that had remained untouched for over a quarter-century until the Portuguese playmaker’s latest heroics at Old Trafford.
The milestone was part of a larger statistical landmark for the United captain, who officially recorded his 100th assist for the club across all competitions during the match.
Speaking to MUTV following the result, Fernandes reflected on the significance of surpassing an icon he grew up admiring.
“Obviously, it’s very nice,” Fernandes said. “It’s a very good achievement. We’re talking about one of the best passers. So I’m very pleased to do that.
“It’s not going to change anything for what I want, but being there with a name who, obviously, was one of the players everyone looks up to, in the way of crossing and the way of passing.
“Like everyone in their own garden tried to do it like Beckham and was doing it, even if you’re just swinging your arm, like he used to do it, not as much the ball! I’m very happy to do that.”
Chasing the Premier League summit
With eight matches remaining in the current campaign, the focus has shifted from club history to the broader Premier League record.
Having bagged 16 assists, he needs another four to reach the all-time single-season record of 20, currently shared by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry (2002/03) and Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne (2019/20).
Meanwhile, victory over Villa also served a vital functional purpose, moving the Red Devils three points clear of their visitors and tightening their grip on third place in the race for Champions League qualification.
For Fernandes, the individual accolades remain secondary to the team’s resurgence under Michael Carrick, who has secured seven wins in his first nine games.
“Scoring goals and assisting is a big part of my game,” Fernandes added, “but I’m very pleased today worked out and made us win the game. Until the end of the season, I want to try to keep helping the team and improving on that, results-wise.”
