Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
MANCHESTER, England — Bruno Fernandes closed in on the Premier League 's assists record as Manchester United tightened its grip on Champions League qualification with a 3-1 win against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Fernandes provided assists for two of United's goals to take his tally for the season to 16. The record for a single Premier League campaign is 20, with Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne both reaching that mark.
Fernandes, who now has 100 assists as a United player, has up to eight more games to set a new record in English soccer's top division.
Of more importance to United was a seventh win in nine games under head coach Michael Carrick. United is third - three points clear of Villa in fourth.
At the other end of the standings Nottingham Forest climbed out of the relegation zone with a 0-0 draw against Fulham.
Crystal Palace and Leeds also drew 0-0.
Fernandes' double assist saw him set a new club record for United in a single Premier League season - overtaking David Beckham's 15 in 1999-2000.
"It is a huge achievement for me, but the main achievement will be finishing in the top spots at the end of the season," he said.
United is on course for a return to the Champions League after two seasons outside of European club soccer's top competition.
The top four are guaranteed to qualify, with English teams likely to earn a fifth spot because of their performances in Europe this season.
Casemiro headed United in front from Fernandes' corner in the 53rd minute. Villa leveled through Ross Barkley, but Fernandes was the provider again when Matheus Cunha sidefooted past Emiliano Martinez.
Benjamin Sesko came off the bench to score his eighth goal in 10 games and effectively seal the win.
The victory saw United close the gap on second-place Manchester City to seven points.
West Ham's draw with Man City on Saturday meant Forest dropped into the bottom three.
But it quickly climbed back out of the relegation zone with a point at home against Fulham on goal difference.
Leeds edged further away from the drop zone with a goalless draw at Palace.
Leeds, in 15th, is on 32 points - four clear of the bottom three.
It could have been an even better day for Daniel Farke's team had Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored with a first-half penalty. But it held on for a point even after going down to 10 men when Gabriel Gudmundsson was sent off before halftime.
___
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
