The race for the most assists across a single Premier League season is weird and unpredictable, often influenced by factors outside the control of its competitors. It is also a record that has stood for more than 20 years, or since Thierry Henry notched his 20th assist of the 2002-03 season. Since then, only Kevin De Bruyne has matched Henry’s figure over 38 games, in 2019-20, but it has been threatened on an almost annual basis over the past two decades.
This year, the leading contender to break Henry and De Bruyne’s record is Bruno Fernandes, who has reached 16 assists with eight games of the season remaining, while surpassing David Beckham for the most from a Manchester United player in a single Premier League campaign. The captain is flying after returning to more advanced role under Michael Carrick, and the Portuguese’s form suggests Henry and De Bruyne’s assist record is within sight over the final weeks.
