Bruno Fernandes has been a far less influential figure for Manchester United this season, with three goals and one assist in six Premier League games, and the club has collected just six points, its worst league start in 40 years.
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 United captain had already won the Premier League and Football Writers’ versions of the award, in recognition of his phenomenal contribution to his side’s unexpected third-place finish.
Fernandes scored nine goals and claimed 21 assists last season, breaking a Premier League record jointly held by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne. Over the final 11 games, he either scored or created 12 of United’s 21 goals. In the seven-game run that swept United back into Europe’s elite club competition after a two-year absence, the 31-year-old was involved in nine of the 12 goals.
Statistically, it was remarkable, reminiscent of Eric Cantona in the 1995-96 title-winning campaign, when he scored in six successive games, five of them when United scored only once.
“It was a special season for me,” Fernandes said. “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 Slow Start by His Standards
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, a win against Ipswich, which remains the only victory so far.
Those figures are better than last season’s opening six games, when he scored twice and created nothing. However, he was playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred at that stage.
This season, Fernandes is averaging 3.3 shots per game, his second-highest figure, though his best was 3.5 in 2020-21. His average of 0.8 shots on target is his joint-second lowest. His chance creation, at 2.5 per game, is his second lowest at Old Trafford and well down on the 4.0 he produced last season.
Most striking of all, he has created just one ‘big chance’ so far, the lofted pass that sent Bryan Mbeumo clear of the Ipswich defense on 30 August. Last season, he averaged one per game.
Those numbers help explain why United have struggled, but they raise a larger question: is Fernandes a cause of the club’s malaise, or a symptom of it?
Fitness Questions and Carrick’s Response
There is also uncertainty over the Portugal playmaker’s fitness. Fernandes rarely misses games, but he was left out of the recent Nations League match against Norway, as national team 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 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 major issue 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
At the end of last season, when Fernandes was at his most productive, Benjamin Sesko was a regular in the number nine role, and veteran Brazilian Casemiro anchored United’s midfield. Fernandes created four of Sesko’s nine league goals in 2026. He also set up four of the final five goals Casemiro scored for United from 1 February onward.
Their absence is clearly being felt. Even Casemiro’s biggest admirers could not claim that United’s current low running numbers are down to the 34-year-old leaving for Inter Miami in the summer. His positioning and game knowledge remain of a high standard, and they gave Fernandes the freedom to take risks, knowing United would not be overrun on the counterattack if he lost the ball.
Sesko’s fresh shin injury extends a lack of involvement that is being keenly felt, with no return date yet set.
The club’s decision-makers ignored calls for more striking support in the summer and instead reinforced 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 before the opening game at Hull. Matheus Cunha was given the role instead, but he repeatedly dropped deep, into the space Fernandes was occupying, and the two never found an effective way to deal with it.
For Fernandes, it feels restrictive. He is not a player who lacks confidence, but his decision-making seems to be suffering. Against Tottenham at the weekend, it took him an incredible 23 minutes to complete a pass.
Looking Ahead
On Monday, as he looked ahead to the Champions League meeting with Atletico, Carrick said no one was “guaranteed” a place in his team. He added enough caveats to suggest that leaving out his captain is not in his thinking.
United must improve, and that starts with Fernandes.
“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.”