Kevin De Bruyne has matched Thierry Henry’s Premier League record for most assists in a single season.
The Belgium star went into Sunday’s clash against Norwich City needing just one more to meet the mark set by Arsenal’s legend.
And that assist, his 20th of 2019-20, came in the final minutes for Raheem Sterling as Manchester City ran out 5-0 winners over already relegated Norwich City.
Henry’s mark has stood for the best part of two decades, having contributed 20 assists to the Gunners’ 2002-03 campaign.
But De Bruyne is renowned as perhaps the Premier League’s most consistent provider and had already gone close on several occasions to equalling the famed French striker.
The pair know each other well from Henry’s time working in the Belgium set-up, and he has long been warned that his record was in danger.
‘I always joked with Henry in the national team, even at Vincent Kompany’s testimonial this year. I saw him and said ‘I’m coming for you this year,’ De Bruyne said in an interview with The Athletic.
The midfielder recorded 18 assists in the 2016-17 season, and also managed 16 the following year – and also raced to 20 for Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga back in 2014-15.
In total he boasts 66 assists in the English top flight, as well as netting 36 goals from midfield for Pep Guardiola’s charges.
City may have seen their Premier League crown snatched away by Liverpool this season, but the side waltzed to a place in the Champions League, finishing 15 points clear of third-placed Manchester United.
They also repeated their status as the division’s deadliest outfit in front of goal by outscoring Liverpool by 17 goals, netting 102 to the champions’ 85.
No fewer than 33 of those had De Bruyne’s mark on them, as the Belgian chipped in with 13 strikes as well as his 20 assists.
The weekend’s final round saw Guardiola’s men finish the season in some style as they ran rampant against already relegated Norwich.
Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring after just 11 minutes before De Bruyne, Sterling and Riyad Mahrez widened the scoreline.
De Bruyne then struck again in the final seconds for his second in a 5-0 rout.
