05/17/26 11:31:00
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05/17 11:13 CDT Fernandes ties assist record and another VAR controversy as Man
United beat Forest
Fernandes ties assist record and another VAR controversy as Man United beat
Forest
By STEVE DOUGLAS
AP Sports Writer
Bruno Fernandes grabbed his record-tying 20th assist of the Premier League
season to help Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 in an end-to-end
match featuring another VAR controversy on Sunday.
Bryan Mbeumo's 76th-minute goal proved to be decisive and was set up by
Fernandes, who moved equal with Thierry Henry (2002-03) and Kevin De Bruyne
(2019-20) for most assists in a single Premier League campaign.
The Portugal midfielder has one game left to set the outright record --- at
Brighton next weekend.
United had earlier gone in front for the second time in the game when Matheus
Cunha stroked home in the 55th minute after Mbeumo controlled the ball using
his outstretched arm before having a shot blocked. The goal was awarded by the
on-field referee and he stuck to his decision --- judging the contact
accidental --- after the VAR recommended he look at the incident again on the
pitchside monitor.
The win guaranteed third place for United --- one of the Premier League's five
Champions League qualification spots --- and it was another step in the right
direction under Michael Carrick, who is widely expected to be hired as
permanent manager in the coming days after a successful four-month spell in
charge.
This was Carrick's 11th win in 16 games at the helm, with only two losses in
that period.
Luke Shaw gave United the lead in the fifth minute and Morato equalized in the
53rd.
Cunha's contentious goal regained the lead for the hosts and Mbeumo made it
3-1, before Morgan Gibbs-White pulled another goal back for Forest, whose
safety was assured last week.
It was Brazil midfielder Casemiro's final home match for United after four
years with the team, and he received a standing ovation when he was walked off
the field after being substituted in the 81st minute.
Brighton loses in tight race for European positions
In the race to qualify for European competitions, seventh-place Brighton missed
the chance to jump to sixth after losing 1-0 at Leeds, whose winner came from
England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin --- a World Cup hopeful --- in stoppage
time.
Eighth-place Brentford equalized late --- through Dango Ouattara for his second
of the match --- in a 2-2 home draw with Crystal Palace and moved one point
behind Brighton.
Sunderland is a further point back after winning 3-1 at Everton courtesy of
three second-half goals, and Fulham drew 1-1 at already-relegated Wolverhampton
thanks to a penalty converted by U.S. left back Antonee Robinson for his first
Premier League goal.
Later, West Ham looks to climb above Tottenham and out of the relegation zone
by winning at Newcastle.
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Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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