Bruno Fernandes is struggling for form this season, a stark contrast to the record-breaking campaign that earned him the PFA Player of the Year award just seven weeks ago. The Manchester United captain has scored three goals and provided one assist in six Premier League games, and United have collected just six points, their worst league start in 40 years.
Fernandes was honoured at the Manchester Opera House in August for his part in United’s unexpected third-place finish. He had already won the Premier League and Football Writers’ awards. He scored nine goals and claimed 21 assists last season, breaking a Premier League record jointly held by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.
In the final 11 games of that campaign, Fernandes either scored or created 12 of United’s 21 goals. In the seven-game run that returned United to 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 a remarkable spell, reminiscent of Eric Cantona in the 1995-96 title-winning season, when he scored in six successive games, five of them when United scored only once.
At the awards event, Fernandes spoke with pride. “It was a special season for me,” he 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.”
A Difficult Start
Those words carry particular weight now, because this season’s numbers are far less impressive. Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six league games. His three goals and one assist all came in the second match, a win against Ipswich, which remains United’s only victory so far.
His figures are better than last season’s opening spell, when he scored twice in the first six games and created nothing. At that stage, however, he was playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred.
This season, Fernandes is averaging 3.3 shots per game, his second-highest figure for shots at United. His average of 0.8 shots on target is joint-second lowest in his time at Old Trafford. His chance creation has fallen to 2.5 per game, the second lowest of his time at the club and well down on the 4.0 he managed last season. He has created just one ‘big chance’ so far, the lofted pass that sent Bryan Mbeumo clear of the Ipswich defence on 30 August. He averaged one per game last season.
These numbers help explain why United have struggled. The key question is whether Fernandes is a cause of the club’s problems or a symptom of them.
Fitness and Team Selection
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. National team boss Jorge Jesus said the former Sporting player was “playing through pain”. Fernandes was fit enough to return for the final two internationals of the break, and 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 this 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
Fernandes’ output was at its peak late last season, when Benjamin Sesko was a regular in the number nine role and veteran Brazilian Casemiro anchored the 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 United’s low running numbers cannot be blamed on his departure alone, since his positioning and game knowledge remain of a high standard. With Casemiro in midfield, Fernandes could take risks, confident that United would not be overrun if he lost the ball.
Sesko’s fresh shin injury extends a spell without him, and there is no return date yet. The club ignored calls for more striking support in the summer and instead strengthened Carrick’s midfield. A plan to use Mbeumo as a number nine had to be abandoned when Amad Diallo suffered an ankle injury just before the opening game at Hull. Matheus Cunha took on the role, but he repeatedly dropped deep into the space Fernandes was occupying, and the pair never found an effective way to deal with it.
For Fernandes, the system 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 to complete a pass.
Carrick’s Backing
On Monday, Carrick said no one was “guaranteed” a place in his team, but his caveats suggested that leaving out his captain is not under consideration. United must improve, and Fernandes must improve with them. “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.”