Bruno Fernandes has managed just three goals and one assist in Manchester United’s six Premier League games this season, a far cry from the form that earned him the PFA Player of the Year award only seven weeks ago.
The Manchester United captain had already won the Premier League and Football Writers’ versions of the award, in recognition of his phenomenal contribution to his side’s unexpected third-place finish. Last season, 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 the 21 goals United netted. 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 their 12 goals.
Statistically, it was remarkable, 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.
“It was a special season for me,” Fernandes told an appreciative audience at the award ceremony. “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 Difficult Start to the Season
Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six Premier League games. His three goals and one assist all came in the second game of the campaign, a win against Ipswich, which remains his side’s only victory so far.
The numbers are better than last term, when he scored twice in the opening six games and failed to create any. However, Fernandes was playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred at that point.
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, 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” so far this season, a lofted pass that sent Bryan Mbeumo clear of the Ipswich defence on 30 August. Last season, Fernandes averaged one big chance per game.
Fernandes’ figures, along with his general involvement, may go some way to explaining why United have collected just six points from their opening six games. It is their worst league start in 40 years, when Ron Atkinson was sacked to make way for Sir Alex Ferguson.
But is Fernandes a cause of United’s malaise, or a symptom of it?
Fitness Questions and Carrick’s Response
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 with Norway, when 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 United’s 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.”
The Missing Pieces
Towards the end of last season, when Fernandes’ contribution was at its 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. Casemiro left for Inter Miami in the summer, but his positioning and game knowledge remain of a high standard. With him in the side, Fernandes could take risks, believing United would not be overrun on the counter-attack if he lost the ball.
As for Sesko, a fresh shin injury extends a lack of involvement that is being keenly felt, and there is, as yet, no return date.
The club’s power brokers ignored calls for more 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 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 of dealing with it.
For Fernandes, it feels restrictive. While he is not a player who lacks confidence, his decision-making appears to be suffering. Against Tottenham at the weekend, it took him an incredible 23 minutes to complete a pass.
On Monday, Carrick said that no one was “guaranteed” a place in his team, but he added enough caveats 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.”