By user-4235704036418671222 Bruno Fernandes has enjoyed a dramatic drop in productivity this season, after a campaign in which he was central to Manchester United‘s resurgence. The captain has scored 111 goals in 335 appearances for the club, but his influence has waned during a difficult start that has left United with just six points from their opening six Premier League games.
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 Portugal international had already won the Premier League and Football Writers’ awards, recognising his phenomenal contribution to United’s unexpected third-place finish.
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 of last season, he either scored or created 12 of the 21 goals United managed. In a seven-game run that carried United back into 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. It recalled Eric Cantona’s 1995-96 title-winning campaign, when he scored in six successive games, five of them in matches where 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.
A Difficult Start
Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six Premier League games. He has three goals and one assist, all of which came against Ipswich in the second game of the campaign, 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, he was playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred at that stage.
This season, Fernandes is averaging 3.3 shots per game, his second-highest total for actual shots, although 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 career at the club and well down on the 4.0 he returned last season.
More startlingly, 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. Fernandes averaged one per game last season.
These figures help explain why United have collected just six points from their opening six games, their worst league start in 40 years. That run came when Ron Atkinson was eventually sacked to make way for Sir Alex Ferguson.
But is Fernandes a cause of United’s malaise, or a symptom of it?
Fitness and Form
There is uncertainty over the playmaker’s fitness. Fernandes rarely misses a game, yet he was left out of Portugal’s recent Nations League match against Norway. 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 win over Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK in the Champions League.
United manager Michael Carrick does not see it as an issue 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, while 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 even his biggest admirers could not claim that United’s current low running numbers are down to his departure. His positioning and game knowledge remain of a high standard. With Casemiro in the side, Fernandes could take risks, knowing United would not be overrun on the counter-attack if he lost the ball.
As for Sesko, a fresh shin injury extends a spell without 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. 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 to complete a pass.
Carrick’s Backing
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.”