Bruno Fernandes has three goals and one assist from Manchester United’s six Premier League games this season, yet his output has dropped sharply from the form that earned him the PFA Player of the Year award just seven weeks ago. United have collected just six points from those opening six games, their worst league start in 40 years.
Fernandes stood in the Manchester Opera House in August and spoke of his pride at receiving the PFA award for 2025-26. The Manchester United captain had already won the Premier League and Football Writers’ versions, in recognition of his phenomenal contribution to his side’s unexpected third-place finish.
He 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, of the 21 goals United scored, Fernandes either scored or created 12 of them. 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 a central figure in nine of the 12 goals.
Statistically, it was remarkable. It recalled Eric Cantona’s 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 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 sharp drop in output
Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six league games. His three goals and one assist all came against Ipswich, the second game of the campaign and, so far, United’s only win.
The numbers are actually better than last term, when he scored twice in the opening six games and created none. However, at that point Fernandes was playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred.
This season is Fernandes’ second-highest for shots, at an average of 3.3 per game. His best was 3.5 in 2020-21. However, it is his joint-second-lowest for shots on target, at an average of 0.8. His chance creation, at 2.5 per game, is also the lowest of his time at Old Trafford apart from one other season, and well down on the 4.0 he managed last season.
Even more startlingly, he has created just one “big chance” so far this season. That was the lofted pass that sent Bryan Mbeumo running clear of the Ipswich defence on 30 August. Fernandes averaged one per game last season.
These figures help explain why United have struggled. The question is whether Fernandes is a reason for the malaise or a symptom of it.
Fitness and team selection
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 against Norway. 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 extended break. Before that, he played the full 90 minutes in the 4-0 Champions League win against Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK.
United manager Michael Carrick does not see it as an 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.”
Missing support around him
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.
Quite aside from goals, the absence of Sesko and Casemiro is clearly being felt. Even Casemiro’s biggest admirers could not claim United’s current low running numbers are down to the 34-year-old leaving for Inter Miami in the summer. However, his positioning and game knowledge remain of a high standard. Fernandes could take risks, safe in the knowledge that 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, as yet, no end date for it.
The club’s power brokers ignored calls to bring in more striking support in the summer and instead reinforced Carrick’s midfield. A plan to cover the Slovenian’s initial absence by using Mbeumo as a number nine had to be 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. The pair never really found an effective way of dealing with it.
For Fernandes, it feels restrictive. While he is not a player who lacks confidence, his decision-making does seem to be affected. Against Tottenham at the weekend, it took him an incredible 23 minutes just to complete a pass.
Carrick’s backing
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 put enough caveats around that comment to suggest that leaving out his captain is not in his thinking.
United must start to improve, and that means Fernandes must do the same.
“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.”
