Bruno Fernandes has scored three goals and provided one assist in Manchester United’s six Premier League games this season, a sharp drop from the form that earned him the PFA Player of the Year award just seven weeks ago. United have collected only six points from those games, their worst league start in 40 years.
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. Last season, 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, he 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 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.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Fernandes said: “It was a special season for me. I am very proud.”
He added: “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 the numbers this season tell a far less impressive story.
A Season of Contrasts
Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six league games so far. His three goals and single assist all came in one match, the 3-1 win against Ipswich, the second game of the campaign and still United’s only victory of the season. By comparison, last season he scored twice in the opening six games and created nothing. However, he was playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred at that stage.
Some figures are better than last term, but others show a clear decline. This season he is averaging 3.3 shots per game, his second-highest mark for shots, 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.
Most striking of all, he has created just one ‘big chance’ so far this season. That was the lofted pass that sent Bryan Mbeumo clear of the Ipswich defence on 30 August. Last season, Fernandes averaged one big chance per game.
Cause or Symptom?
His output, combined with his general involvement, goes some way to explaining why United have struggled. The central question is whether Fernandes is a reason for the club’s malaise or a symptom of it.
There has also been uncertainty over his 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”.
He returned for the final two internationals of the extended break, and 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 his fitness as a major concern 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 Partners
Towards 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. 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 both players is being felt. Even Casemiro’s biggest admirers could not argue 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 counter-attack if he lost possession.
Sesko’s fresh shin injury extends a lack of involvement that is being keenly felt, and there is, as yet, no end date for his return.
United’s decision-makers ignored calls to add 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 had to be scrapped when Amad Diallo suffered an ankle injury just 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 pair never found an effective way of dealing with it.
For Fernandes, that arrangement appears 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 just to complete a pass.
Carrick’s Backing
On Monday, ahead of the Champions League meeting with Atletico, Carrick said no one was “guaranteed” a place in his team. He surrounded that comment with enough caveats to suggest that leaving out his captain is not in his thinking.
“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.”
United, however, must improve, and that means Fernandes must improve too.
