Manchester United Crush Brighton 3-0 as Bruno Fernandes Breaks Premier League Assist Record

Kuala Lumpur — Manchester United ended the 2025-26 Premier League season in style, defeating Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 on the final day to secure third place and Champions League football for next season.

Under manager Michael Carrick, the Red Devils produced a dominant performance at the Amex Stadium, with Bruno Fernandes stealing the headlines by breaking the Premier League single-season assist record.

Match Summary

The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute when Fernandes delivered a pinpoint corner that Patrick Dorgu powered home with a strong header — his 21st assist of the season, surpassing the previous record jointly held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Just before halftime, Amad Diallo raced down the right flank and cut the ball back for Bryan Mbeumo to tap home into an empty net, making it 2-0.

Early in the second half, Fernandes capped a superb individual display by smashing a shot into the bottom corner to make it 3-0 and complete the scoring.

Final Standings Impact

The victory saw Manchester United finish the season with 71 points in third place — seven points behind Manchester City and 14 behind champions Arsenal. The result guarantees the Red Devils a return to the UEFA Champions League after missing out last season.

Brighton, who finished 8th with 53 points, secured a spot in the UEFA Conference League.

Bruno’s Historic Day

Fernandes was the star of the show, not only setting up the opening goal but also adding one of his own. His record-breaking 21 assists highlight a phenomenal season from the Portuguese captain.

Michael Carrick’s side has been in excellent form since he took permanent charge, winning 11 of their last 16 matches and losing just once away from home.

Lineups

Brighton: Verbruggen – Wieffer, Van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu – Milner, Gross, Hinshelwood – Gomez, De Cuyper, Welbeck

Manchester United: Lammens – Mazraoui, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw – Mainoo, Mount, Fernandes – Amad, Dorgu, Mbeumo

A strong and confident finish to the campaign under Carrick gives Manchester United fans plenty of reasons for optimism heading into next season. The return of Champions League football marks a significant step forward for the club.