Bruno Fernandes' historic assist tally nears new heights, fueling Manchester United's Champions League charge with Steve Bruce hailing his "outstanding" influence.
Manchester United took a huge step towards Champions League qualification, coming out 2-1 winners against Brentford at Old Trafford.
United took control early, and it didn’t take long for them to make it count. Casemiro rose unmarked at the back post to head home the opener, something that has become a familiar sight for the Reds this season.
With the hosts ahead, Brentford’s Igor Thiago threatened on several occasions, but United responded quickly. Benjamin Šeško doubled the lead before halftime, calmly finishing after being set up by Bruno Fernandes.
The second half saw both sides create chances, though it was not until the 90th minute that Brentford found a breakthrough, with Mathias Jensen scoring from distance.
Despite the late pressure, Michael Carrick’s side stood firm defensively, weathering Brentford’s push to secure a vital three points. Here are five key takeaways from the match.
Bruno Fernandes has been pivotal in Man Utd's success
Fernandes' assist for Šeško's goal means that he now sits on 19 assists for the season, needing just two more from United's remaining four games to eclipse the record jointly held by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.
There is no doubt that the Portuguese midfielder has been United's best signing in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, and has consistently been the man to take the initiative, and sometimes single-handedly lead the side to success.
Speaking on talkSPORT after the game, former United centre-back Steve Bruce echoed the sentiment regarding the 31-year-old's value to the side.
"There's been this debate about him over the years… I have to say he's been the outstanding player for Man United for the last four or five years.
"Absolutely, there's times he's carried this club along which is a big big weight on your shoulders. But he never disappoints.
"He gives everything he's got. He plays every week. I know we can be a little bit sensitive at times, we all can, but he produces."
Senne Lammens was outstanding
While it is great to highlight an individual's successes on the pitch like Fernandes' when the team wins, it's more important to focus on the crucial three points that United gained to make a huge stride towards automatic Champions League qualification.
Brentford could have easily gotten much more out of the game if it wasn't for Senne Lammens in the United net, particularly in the first half, making a number of fantastic stops to deny the travelling side.
While almost no keeper on the planet would have been able to save Brentford's goal towards the end of the game, Lammens pulled off several impressive stops to deny Igor Thiago, who easily could have had a brace going into the half-time break if not for Lammens' heroics.
While much has been made of the attack's success this season, and how the team has seen an uptick in form since Carrick took over, Lammens' performances this season have been consistently great, and for a fee of £18 million, he has got to be up there for signing of the season.