Bruno Fernandes Has Dominated Every Creative Stat in the Premier League This Season

24th May 2026

There are creative midfielders, and then there is Bruno Fernandes. The Manchester United playmaker has not just led the Premier League in one creative category this season – he has topped the lot.

With 37 games played heading into the final day, Fernandes sits first in key passes (134), assists (20), big chances created (31) and through balls (27). That is every major creative metric in the division, all belonging to the same player. No one else in the league comes close to that kind of stranglehold.

The Numbers in Context

Let us start with key passes. Fernandes has played 134 across 34 appearances – that works out at just under four per game. Dominik Szoboszlai is second in the rankings with 74. That is not a gap – it is a gulf. Fernandes has nearly double the output of the next best creator in the league.

On assists, he has 20 from those 34 appearances. Rayan Cherki of Manchester City sits second on 12. Again, a sizeable margin – eight clear at the top.

Big chances created tells a similar story. Fernandes has teed up 31 high-quality scoring opportunities, roughly one per game. Cherki is second again with 17, joined by Declan Rice, Szoboszlai and Morgan Rogers on 16 each.

Then there are through balls. Fernandes has completed 27 this season, ranking first out of 251 players in the division. It is the sharpest pass in football – the one that eliminates defenders entirely – and nobody has played more of them.

More Than Just a Creator

What makes Fernandes particularly valuable is the volume he adds beyond the final ball. He has attempted 84 shots this season, ranking fourth in the Premier League. 24 of those have been on target. He is not just setting others up – he is a genuine goal threat, with eight to his name from midfield.

For context, Fernandes has contributed directly to 28 goals this season (eight scored, 20 assisted). That is a direct involvement in 42% of United’s 66 league goals.

The Bigger Picture

Manchester United have scored 66 goals across 37 games, ranking third in the division behind Man City (76) and Arsenal (69). That attacking output owes a lot to Fernandes operating at this level week in, week out.

United have also ranked first in the league for total shots (585), and Fernandes is at the centre of that. Whether he is taking them himself or creating them for others, the attack flows through him.

A Season to Remember

Players occasionally lead one or two creative metrics. Leading all four simultaneously across an entire Premier League season is something else entirely. Fernandes has been the heartbeat of United’s attack, and the numbers confirm what the eye test already told us – he has been the most creative player in the country this year, and it is not even close.

All stats via Statz Premier League Rankings.