Why Bruno Fernandes' assists vs Liverpool didn't count for his official Premier League total?
(Courtesy : Getty)
The Red Devils’ captain has provided 19 assists this season in the league.
Many fans may have believed Bruno Fernandes had tied the Premier League’s single-season assist milestone when he nodded the ball across goal and saw Benjamin Sesko make it 2-0 to Manchester United in Sunday’s 3-2 triumph over Liverpool. But that was not the case.
The Portuguese midfielder did receive assist points in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
But what is the reason in the record books that Fernandes’ assist remains 19, which is one less than the record set by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne?
Why was Bruno Fernandes not credited with an assist?
Matheus Cunha’s goal in the sixth minute gave Michael Carrick’s team an early lead over Liverpool on Sunday.
Sesko quickly had the opportunity to make it two after sprinting onto Bruno Fernandes’ cross, but Freddie Woodman stopped him.
But a few moments later, Cunha picked up the ball and returned it to Luke Shaw, who then fired a cross to the back post, where Fernandes outjumped Andrew Robertson.
Sesko eventually touched the net after the midfielder’s header, but not before Liverpool goalie Freddie Woodman got a hand on the ball and bounced it onto the Slovenian striker.
Real reason revealed why Fernandes’ assist was not counted
Bruno Fernandes’ contribution did not qualify as an official assist because of this. An assist is defined as follows by Opta, the official statistics partner of the Premier League:
“The final touch from a teammate, which leads to the recipient of the ball scoring a goal. If the assist is deflected by an opposition player, it must be deemed as travelling to the goal-scorer irrespective of the deflection.”
As a result, Opta’s decision-makers determined that Fernandes’ header might not have reached Sesko without Woodman’s touch.
How many assists does Bruno Fernandes needs to surpass Henry and De Bruyne?
He needs two more assists.
How many PL assists has Bruno recorded this season?
He has made 19 assists.
Did Bruno’s assist against Liverpool count?
No, it came off Liverpool’s goalkeeper.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.