By user7374013242149013546 Bruno Fernandes has produced far fewer numbers for Manchester United this season than during his record-breaking 2025-26 campaign, raising questions about whether he is a cause or a symptom of the club’s struggles. United have collected just six points from their opening six Premier League games, 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. The United captain had already won the Premier League and Football Writers’ versions of the award, recognizing his outstanding 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, 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. 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 resonance now, because this season’s figures are far less impressive.
A Quieter Start
Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six Premier League games. He has three goals and one assist, all of which came in the second game of the campaign, a win against Ipswich that remains his side’s only victory so far.
Those numbers are better than last season’s start, when he scored twice in the opening six games and created none. At that stage, however, 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. His shots on target, however, average just 0.8 per game, which is his joint-second lowest. His chance creation, at 2.5 per game, is the second lowest of his time at Old Trafford and well down on the 4.0 he produced last season.
Even more striking, he has created just one “big chance” so far this season. That was the lofted pass that sent Bryan Mbeumo clear of the Ipswich defense on 30 August. His average last season was one per game.
These figures help explain why United have struggled. Yet the question remains whether Fernandes is driving that decline or reflecting it.
Fitness Concerns
Uncertainty also surrounds 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.”
He returned for the final two internationals of the extended break, however, and 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 the issue as a 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 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.
The absence of Sesko and Casemiro is now clearly being felt. Even Casemiro’s biggest admirers could not argue that United’s current low running numbers stem from his summer departure to Inter Miami, although 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 on transition if he lost the ball.
Sesko’s fresh shin injury extends a lack of involvement that is being keenly felt, and there is no end date in sight.
The club’s power brokers ignored calls to bring in more striking support over 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 took on the role instead, but he repeatedly dropped deep into the space Fernandes occupied, and the pair never found an effective way of dealing with it.
For Fernandes, the arrangement feels restrictive. He is not a player who lacks confidence, but his decision-making appears 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, 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.
United must improve, and that means Fernandes must improve too.
“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.”