Bruno Fernandes assisted his 21st goal of the season, breaking the Premier League record, and scored another as Manchester United ended a hugely satisfying season with a superb win at Brighton.
Fernandes created the opener, headed in by Patrick Dorgu, to move past the previous record held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne and added United’s third at the start of the second half.
Bryan Mbeumo scored between to condemn Brighton to a disappointing defeat that saw them slip to eighth place and a spot in next season’s Conference League.
United bossed possession in the early stages but it was Brighton that carved out the first opportunity, Diego Gomez firing wide at the far post after good work from Maxim De Cuyper.
De Cuyper came close again after 21 minutes after cutting inside Noussair Mazraoui and flashing a shot narrowly wide of Senne Lammens’ far post.
Dorgu helps Manchester United captain Fernandes break record
United hadn’t really created much until the opener after 33 minutes, Dorgu showing the greater desire to get on the end of Fernandes’ right-wing corner and crash a header past Bart Verbruggen.
Kobbie Mainoo wasted an opportunity to make it 2-0 six minutes before the break, bursting through the Brighton defence but then dallying too long, enabling the home side to smuggle the ball to safety.
Gomez ought to have equalised two minutes later but skewed his shot straight into the arms of Lammens and it was to prove a crucial moment as, shortly after, some lovely interplay between Amad Diallo and Mason Mount enabled the former to slide the ball across for Mbeumo to tap home.
Dorgu turns goalscorer as United cruise
Brighton required a good start to the second half to have any chance of a comeback but their hopes were effectively dashed within three minutes as Dorgu and Fernandes combined again, the former running through before laying it on for the latter to finish with aplomb.
Gomez shot wide after 57 minutes on a rare Brighton foray forward in what was his final act before he, James Milner and Danny Welbeck, making his 400th Premier League appearance, were taken off.
The game drifted in the South Coast sunshine before sparking back into life in the closing minutes. Lammens parried well from a Solly March shot while, at the other end, Fernandes almost had a 22nd assist but Leny Yoro’s header came back off the bar.
