“He has that gift”: Carrick reserves special praise for United star after breakthrough moment vs. Brighton

Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has hailed Bruno Fernandes after he made Premier League history in the victory against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday. History maker United wrapped up the 2025/26 season in style, cruising to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Brighton at the Amex Stadium. Patrick Dorgu broke the deadlock inside 32 minutes as he headed home a brilliant corner-kick delivery from Fernandes. The assist marked Fernandes’ 21st of the season. In doing so, he surpassed Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne to become the player with the most assists in a single Premier League campaign. Fernandes now stands on his own and is the top-flight’s undisputed assist king. Bryan Mbeumo doubled United’s advantage shortly before the break as he finished off a sensational team move. Fernandes resumed where he’d left off after the restart. Dorgu turned provider, returning the favour by setting up Fernandes, whose stunning finish drove the final nail into Brighton’s coffin. United fashioned numerous opportunities to pile on the goals, but they were consistently denied by an inspired Bart Verbruggen, who produced save after save. Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the final whistle, Carrick heaped praise on Fernandes. Carrick’s remarks The United boss said on the skipper, “It’s what he’s done so often.” “The creating and scoring of goals is what he has that gift for. He has a natural instinct for creation and he did it again today.” Asked about the performance and the result, Carrick explained, “We’ve finished strong. We had a good run and third place was kind of confirmed so I like the way we finished from that and carried it on.” “We had a real focus that it wasn’t the end of the season, it was the next stage and today epitomised that with how well the boys approached the game.” He added, “These are one of the toughest teams to play if you are not there. Good mentality, good attitude and some top, top quality in our performance so there was a lot to enjoy.” “We were aiming high, you have to here. We wanted to finish as high as we could. Big credit to the players for how consistent they’ve been and level of performance. It gives us a platform to build on for next season.” Since Carrick took charge of United, he has won 12, drawn three and lost just two of the 17 Premier League games he has overseen. Featured image Steve Bardens via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!