Bruno Fernandes has been one of the most productive players in Manchester United’s recent history, but his form has dropped sharply at the start of this season. He has three goals and one assist in six Premier League games, a sharp contrast with the season he has just finished.
It is only seven weeks since Fernandes stood in the Manchester Opera House and spoke of his pride at being named PFA Player of the Year for 2025-26. The Manchester United captain had already won the Premier League and Football Writers’ versions of the award, in recognition of his huge contribution to his side’s unexpected third-place finish.
Fernandes scored nine goals and claimed 21 assists, breaking a Premier League record jointly held by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.
Over the final 11 games of last season, Fernandes either scored or created 12 of the 21 goals United managed. In the seven-game run that carried United back into Europe’s elite club competition after a two-year absence, the 31-year-old was involved in nine of their 12 goals.
Statistically, it was remarkable. It recalled Eric Cantona in the 1995-96 title-winning campaign, when he scored in six successive games, five of them in matches where United scored only once.
“It was a special season for me,” Fernandes told an appreciative audience. “I am very proud.
“But we don’t play tennis. We don’t play just for ourselves. We play for a team, we play for a club, we play for the fans. There is nothing more special than that.”
Those words carry particular weight now, because this season’s numbers are far less impressive.
A Difficult Start to the Season
Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six Premier League games. His three goals and one assist all came in the second game of the campaign, against Ipswich, which is still his side’s only league win so far.
The numbers are actually better than last term, when he scored twice in the opening six games and created none. However, he was playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred at that point.
This season, Fernandes is averaging 3.3 shots per game, his second-highest figure, although his best was 3.5 in 2020-21. His average of 0.8 shots on target is joint-second lowest of his time at Old Trafford. His chance creation, at 2.5 per game, is the second lowest of his career at the club and well down on the 4.0 he produced last season.
Even more startling, he has created just one ‘big chance’ so far this season, the lofted pass that sent Bryan Mbeumo clear of the Ipswich defence on 30 August. Fernandes averaged one per game last season.
Fernandes’ figures, along with his general involvement, go some way to explaining why United have collected just six points from their opening six games. It is their worst start to a league campaign in 40 years, when Ron Atkinson was sacked to make way for Sir Alex Ferguson.
But is Fernandes a cause of United’s malaise, or a symptom of it?
Fitness Concerns and Carrick’s Response
There is uncertainty over the Portugal playmaker’s fitness. Fernandes rarely misses a game, but he was left out of the recent Nations League match with Norway. Portugal boss Jorge Jesus said the former Sporting man was “playing through pain”.
Fernandes was fit enough to return for the final two internationals of the extended break. Before that, he played the full 90 minutes in United’s 4-0 Champions League win over Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK.
United manager Michael Carrick does not see it as a problem as he prepares his side to face Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
“He was carrying something but that happens a lot,” Carrick said. “Players play with issues.
“It’s not ideal but it is manageable. Bruno is able to play. That is the commitment he has got.
“He is pretty much over it, was really bright in training this morning and is looking forward to the game.”
The Missing Partners
Towards the end of last season, when Fernandes was at his most prolific, Benjamin Sesko was a regular in the number nine role and veteran Brazilian Casemiro anchored United’s midfield.
Of the nine league goals Sesko has scored in 2026, Fernandes created four. He also set up four of the final five goals Casemiro scored for United from 1 February onwards.
The absence of Sesko and Casemiro is clearly being felt. Casemiro left for Inter Miami in the summer, but his positioning and game knowledge remain of a high standard, and that is not the reason for United’s low running numbers. He allowed Fernandes to take risks, knowing United would not be overrun on the counter-attack if he lost the ball.
As for Sesko, his fresh shin injury extends a lack of involvement that is being keenly felt, and there is no end date in sight.
The club’s power brokers ignored calls for more striking support in the summer and instead strengthened Carrick’s midfield. A plan to cover Sesko’s initial absence by using Mbeumo as a number nine was scrapped when Amad Diallo suffered an ankle injury just before the opening game at Hull.
Matheus Cunha was given the job instead, but he repeatedly dropped deep into the space Fernandes was occupying, and the pair never found an effective way of dealing with it.
For Fernandes, it feels restrictive. He is not a player who lacks confidence, but his decision-making appears to be suffering. Against Tottenham at the weekend, it took him an incredible 23 minutes just to complete a pass.
Carrick said on Monday that no one was “guaranteed” a place in his team, but he added enough caveats to suggest that leaving out his captain is not in his thinking.
United must improve, and that means Fernandes must improve too.
“He’s a top player, Bruno,” Carrick said.
“Sometimes things don’t quite go for you. Sometimes you have a spell of that.
“But he’s done some incredible things for this football club and he will do the same in the future, there’s no doubt about that.”
