Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes downplayed his milestone of 100 assists for the club during the victory against Aston Villa, emphasizing his satisfaction in aiding teammates to find the net.
Match Highlights
Casemiro broke the deadlock early in the second half with a header from Fernandes’ corner kick. Ross Barkley leveled the score for Aston Villa in the 64th minute with a strike into the bottom left corner. The lead lasted only six minutes as Matheus Cunha slotted home at the Stretford End to regain the advantage for United. Benjamin Sesko then sealed the win from the substitutes’ bench.
Fernandes contributed directly with the corner for Casemiro’s goal and a precise pass for Cunha’s strike. The Portugal international now boasts 16 assists in the Premier League this season, trailing the single-season record of 20 shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne by just four.
Fernandes on His Milestone
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.”
Post-Match Reflections
A delighted Fernandes highlighted the significance of 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 added: “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 it’s very difficult. We did it today and we won the game.”
The result bolsters United’s push for Champions League qualification, placing them six points ahead of Chelsea in fifth. Aston Villa led the table over United for much of the first half of the season, but the Reds overtook Unai Emery’s side after defeating Crystal Palace earlier this month. United trail Manchester City in second by seven points.
