Bruno Fernandes has scored three goals and provided one assist in Manchester United’s six Premier League games this season, a far cry from the record-breaking form that earned him PFA Player of the Year honours only seven weeks ago. United have collected just six points from those opening matches, their worst league start in 40 years.
Fernandes, who has now scored 111 goals in 335 appearances for the club, was named PFA Player of the Year for 2025-26 at the Manchester Opera House. He had already won the Premier League and Football Writers’ awards for his part in United’s unexpected third-place finish. He 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, Fernandes either scored or created 12 of United’s 21 goals. In the seven-game run that carried United back into the Champions League after a two-year absence, the 31-year-old was involved in nine of their 12 goals. Those numbers recalled Eric Cantona in the 1995-96 title-winning campaign, when he scored in six successive games, five of them when United managed only one 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.”
A Difficult Start to the Season
Those words carry particular weight now, given how far this season’s figures fall short of last term’s. Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six league games. His three goals and one assist all came in the second game of the campaign, a win against Ipswich, which remains United’s only victory so far.
Still, his numbers are better than they were at this stage last season, when he scored twice in the opening six games and created none. Back then, however, he was operating 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, though 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 has dropped to 2.5 per game, the second-lowest of his United career 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, the lofted pass that sent Bryan Mbeumo clear of the Ipswich defence on 30 August. Last season, he averaged one per game.
Reason or Symptom?
Fernandes’ figures and his general involvement may help explain why United have struggled so badly. The key question is whether he is a cause of the club’s problems or a symptom of them.
His fitness is also a talking point. Fernandes rarely misses games, but he was left out of the recent Nations League match against Norway, when Portugal boss Jorge Jesus said the former Sporting player was “playing through pain”. Fernandes did return for Portugal’s final two internationals of the break, and before that he played the full 90 minutes in United’s 4-0 win over Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK in the Champions League.
Manager Michael Carrick does not see the issue as serious, 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
At 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. Fernandes created four of the nine league goals Sesko has scored in 2026. 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 his positioning and game knowledge were of a high standard, and his presence allowed Fernandes to take risks, knowing United would not be overrun on the counter-attack if he lost the ball.
Sesko’s fresh shin injury extends a spell without him that is being keenly felt, and there is no end date in sight.
United’s hierarchy 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 was 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 to deal with it.
For Fernandes, the setup 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.
Pressure on the Captain
On Monday, Carrick said that no one was “guaranteed” a place in his team, though he added enough caveats to suggest that leaving out his captain is not on his mind.
United must improve, and that starts with Fernandes.
“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.”
