Bruno Fernandes, who was named PFA Player of the Year just seven weeks ago, is under scrutiny after a difficult start to the Premier League season. Manchester United have collected just six points from their opening six games, their worst league start in 40 years, and the Portugal playmaker’s numbers have dipped sharply.
Only weeks ago, Fernandes stood in the Manchester Opera House and spoke of his pride at receiving the award for 2025-26. The Manchester United captain had already won the Premier League and Football Writers’ versions of the honour, recognising his phenomenal contribution to his side’s unexpected third-place finish.
Fernandes scored nine goals and claimed 21 assists last season, breaking a Premier League record jointly held by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne. He has now scored 111 goals in 335 appearances for the club.
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 returned United to Europe’s elite club competition after a two-year absence, the 31-year-old was a central figure in nine of the 12 goals.
Statistically, it was remarkable. It recalled 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. “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 figures are far less impressive. Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six Premier League games. He has three goals and one assist, all coming in the second game of the campaign against Ipswich, which remains United’s only win so far.
The numbers are better than last term, when he scored twice in the opening six games and created none. However, at that stage, Fernandes was playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred.
A shift in output
This season’s average of 3.3 shots per game is Fernandes’ second highest, behind only the 3.5 he averaged in 2020-21. Yet 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.
More startlingly, 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 per game.
These figures help to explain why United have struggled so badly. The question is whether Fernandes is a reason for the malaise, or a symptom of it.
Fitness and form
There is also uncertainty over the playmaker’s fitness. Fernandes rarely misses a game, but he was left out of the recent Nations League match against 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 an issue as he prepares his side for 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 support
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. 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 the club from 1 February onwards.
Beyond goals, the absence of Sesko and Casemiro is clearly 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. However, his positioning and game knowledge were 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 the ball.
Sesko’s fresh shin injury extends a lack of involvement that is keenly felt, and there is no end date in sight.
The club’s decision-makers ignored calls to bring in more striking support over 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. The pair never found an effective way of dealing with it.
For Fernandes, it 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 to complete a pass.
Carrick’s stance
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 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.”
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