Fernandes ties assist record and another VAR controversy as Man United beat Forest

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 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.

Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White, centre, scores his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Manchester United's Casemiro during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Harry Maguire, left, argues with referee Michael Salisbury during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in Manchester, England, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

NÜRBURG, Germany (AP) — Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen's chances of victory in his 24-hour racing debut at the famed Nürburgring track were ended by a mechanical issue with his car Sunday.

Verstappen had been leading in the morning by over half a minute, sharing a Mercedes AMG GT3 car with experienced sportscar racers Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon and Dani Juncadella.

With three and a half hours left, Juncadella had just taken over from Verstappen when he had to slow down with a damaged driveshaft and lost the lead before entering the pits, where the car was pulled into the garage.

Victory went to the team's sister Mercedes car driven by Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Fabian Schiller and Maxime Martin.

About three hours after his incident, Juncadella was able to get back on track and ensure the team was counted as a finisher in 38th.

Coming a week before F1 returns at the Canadian Grand Prix, the Nürburgring race was a “bucket list” project for Verstappen. He's a keen racing fan and has questioned his future in F1 this year because he's unhappy with the 2026 cars' reliance on electrical power.

Verstappen made an immediate impact in his first stint Saturday evening with a fast, aggressive style typical of his driving in F1, going from 10th to the lead with a series of overtakes. At one point, he lost grip over a bump and ran wide onto the grass, narrowly missing the barrier and he was later in a close battle for the lead overnight.

Speaking shortly before the incident that dashed his hopes of a win, Verstappen said he enjoyed his longest race yet and hoped to be back again in 2027.

“I think in general it’s just the competition, the endurance style racing where you share with teammates. The 24-hour race here, the track is super challenging, so it’s a whole combo,” he said.

As for next year, “I will for sure try. It always depends a bit on my schedule, but let’s first enjoy now.”

Verstappen was familiar with the Nürburgring after taking part in a series of shorter races in recent months to add to his years of virtual experience from realistic online simulator races.

It was still a challenge unlike anything in F1.

With 161 cars entered — 159 took the start — on a 15.8-mile (25.3-kilometer) circuit, Verstappen had to weave past much slower cars and narrowly escaped a crash when two slower Porsches collided in front of him. He also had to deal with constantly changing weather conditions on a hilly track where it can be raining hard at one point and dry at another.

It was also his first real test of night-time endurance racing without the huge floodlights that F1 uses to light up the track.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Max Verstappen stands in his pit before the start of a pit stop and observes the work during the Nurburgring 24-hour auto race in Nurburg, Germany, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)

The pit crew works on Max Verstappen's Mercedes AMG GT3 car during the Nurburgring 24-hour auto race in Nurburg, Germany, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)

Daniel Juncadella, right, helps his teammate Max Verstappen to get into the car during a pit stop the Nurburgring 24-hour auto race in Nurburg, Germany, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)

Max Verstappen, driving the Red Bull Mercedes AMG GT3, flashes his his headlights as he demands a clear path from a slower vehicle during the Nurburgring 24-hour auto race in Nurburg, Germany, Saturday May 16, 2026. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)

The pit crew works on the leading Max Verstappen's Mercedes AMG GT3 car, right, as it completes a pit stop at the same time as the second-placed Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL with Germany's Maro Engel, Germany's Luca Stolz, Germany's Fabian Schiller and Germany's Maxime Martin, during the Nurburgring 24-hour auto race in Nurburg, Germany, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)