Is Bruno Fernandes on Course for Legendary Status at Man United?

What do Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and Cristiano Ronaldo all have in common? They are all Manchester United legends. They also all have fewer Premier League assists than current United star Bruno Fernandes.

Captain Fernandes set up both United goals in Sunday’s 2-1 win away at Crystal Palace to move above Scholes in terms of Premier League assists. The Portuguese playmaker now has 56.

Only Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and David Beckham remain above Fernandes on the list of players with the most Premier League assists for the Red Devils.

Most Premier League assists for Man United

Man United fans hail Bruno Fernandes as a club “legend”

After watching the 31-year-old shine at Selhurst Park on Sunday, many Manchester United fans took to social media to hail Bruno Fernandes as a club legend.

One tweet read: “Bruno is a club legend already. What he has done for this club since he signed is nothing but phenomenal.”

Another fan wrote: “Bruno Fernandes is a proper Manchester United legend, and nothing anybody would say could change my mind.”

A third supporter added: “It’s official, Bruno Fernandes is a Man Utd legend. That’s it. He’s our modern day Wayne Rooney.”

But one United fan had a more balanced take, writing: “This is all not to say that Bruno isn’t a great player, because he is and will go down as one of our greats and I hope he will be a legend, but our legends win titles for the club. Bruno hasn’t, as yet.”

Fernandes has so far lifted two trophies as a United player. He lifted the EFL Cup in 2022/23, before leading the team to FA Cup glory a year later. Both of those victories came under former manager Erik ten Hag.

Bruno Fernandes’s Man United career in numbers

Since signing from Sampdoria in January 2020 for an initial fee of £47 million, rising to £67.7m with add-ons, Bruno Fernandes has featured in 304 matches for Manchester United — who are over 600 points above Man City in the all-time Premier League table.

That tally of 304 games places Fernandes 51st on the club’s all-time appearances list, while he is United’s 19th most prolific scorer all time with 100 goals.

Only four United players past or present have delivered more assists than Fernandes, who has set up 91 goals in all competitions.

On average, Fernandes delivers a goal or assist for United every 1.59 games.

Is Bruno Fernandes a Manchester United legend?

Whether or not Bruno Fernandes is already a Manchester United legend depends on who you ask and on what criteria they are using.

But his influence and importance to the team are undeniable. He has reached double figures for both goals and assists in each of his first five full seasons.

In terms of how he had carried United at times during his time at Old Trafford, he has arguably been more influential than the aforementioned likes of Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, they all won the Champions League and multiple Premier League titles with the Red Devils. Until Fernandes adds at least one of those big trophies to his list of honours, questions will remain over his claim to legendary status at United.