Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has struggled for form this season, with three goals and one assist in six Premier League games as his side have collected just six points, their 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. He had already won the Premier League and Football Writers’ versions of the award, in recognition of his huge contribution to United’s unexpected third-place finish.
Fernandes scored nine goals and provided 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 the 21 goals United managed. 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 remarkable, and it recalled Eric Cantona’s form in the 1995-96 title-winning campaign, when he scored in six successive games, five of which United won by a single goal.
“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.
Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six Premier League games. His three goals and one assist all came in the 3-1 win against Ipswich, the second game of the campaign and, so far, United’s only victory. That return is actually better than last season’s opening six games, when he scored twice and created nothing. However, back then Fernandes was playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred.
A Worrying Set of Numbers
This season is Fernandes’ second-highest for shots, at an average of 3.3 per game, though his best was 3.5 in 2020-21. His shots on target, however, are the joint-second lowest of his time at Old Trafford, averaging 0.8. His chance creation, at 2.5 per game, is the second lowest of his Old Trafford career and well down on the 4.0 he produced last season.
Even more startlingly, he has created just one ‘big chance’ this season, the lofted pass that sent Bryan Mbeumo clear of the Ipswich defence on 30 August. He averaged one per game last season.
These figures help explain why United have collected just six points from their opening six games. The bigger question is whether Fernandes is a cause of the club’s malaise or a symptom of it.
Fitness Questions
There is uncertainty over the Portugal playmaker’s fitness. Fernandes rarely misses a game, but he was left out of the recent Nations League meeting with Norway, as 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 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 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.”
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.
Beyond goals, the absence of Sesko and Casemiro is clearly being felt. Even Casemiro’s biggest admirers cannot blame United’s current poor running numbers on his summer departure to Inter Miami, since his positioning and game knowledge remain of a high standard. Those qualities allowed Fernandes to take risks, 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 decision-makers 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 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, and the pair never found an effective way of dealing with it.
For Fernandes, that arrangement 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 Backs His Captain
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 means 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.”
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