Bruno Fernandes equals remarkable Ronaldo record from 2008

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Bruno Fernandes was at his best again this weekend as Manchester United beat Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

The Manchester United captain created two goals in the 3-1 win at Old Trafford, a result which saw the Red Devils take a massive step towards Champions League qualification.

Fernandes delivered a set piece onto the head of Casemiro for the opener, before threading through for Matheus Cunha to finish one-against-one for the second.

Those assists made it 16 in the Premier League for Fernandes, comfortably the highest number in the division and second only to Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise (17) across Europe’s top five leagues.

Alongside the quality and quantity of Fernandes’s goals and assists, however, has been their importance to the side.

Manchester United would be a whopping 25 points worse off without Fernandes’s goal involvements this season. Only two players’ contributions having been more important to the Red Devils in a single Premier League campaign.

Robin van Persie’s incredible 2012-13 campaign is well out in front, with Manchester United gaining 38 points from the Dutchman’s 26 goals and nine assists. Van Persie won the Premier League’s Golden Boot that season as United were crowned champions.

Second is Eric Cantona, whose goal involvements equated to 26 points in 1993-94. That season saw the Red Devils win the domestic double for the first time.

Incredibly, Fernandes has matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2007-08 season for Premier League points gained from goal involvements. Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or for the first time that season as United lifted the Premier League and Champions League.

Fernandes, however, still has eight games to move past his compatriot and close in on Van Persie’s club-record mark.

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