By user6430589451250935484 Bruno Fernandes has scored 111 goals in 335 appearances for Manchester United, but his form has dropped sharply since he collected the PFA Player of the Year award just seven weeks ago. The Manchester United captain had already won the Premier League and Football Writers’ versions of the award, recognising 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 the 21 goals United netted. In the seven-game run that returned the club to Europe’s elite competition after a two-year absence, the 31-year-old was involved in nine of their 12 goals.
Statistically, it was a remarkable spell, reminiscent of Eric Cantona in the 1995-96 title-winning campaign, when he scored in six successive games, five of which United won by a single 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.”
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 this season. He has scored three goals and provided one assist, all of them coming against Ipswich in the second game of the campaign, which remains United’s only win so far.
Those figures are actually better than last term, when he scored twice in the opening six games and failed to create a single goal. 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 figure, though his best was 3.5 in 2020-21. His average of 0.8 shots on target 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.
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, he averaged one per game.
These figures help explain why United have collected just six points from their opening six games, their worst start to a league campaign in 40 years, when Ron Atkinson was sacked to make way for Sir Alex Ferguson. The question is whether Fernandes is a cause of the problem or a symptom of it.
Fitness Concerns
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 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 Champions League win over Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK.
Manager Michael Carrick does not consider it 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 Support Around Him
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 clearly being felt beyond the goals. 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 in the knowledge that 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 keenly felt, and there is no end date in sight.
The club’s decision-makers 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 occupied, and the pair never found an effective way to deal with it.
For Fernandes, the system 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 just to complete a pass.
Carrick Backs His Captain
Carrick said on Monday 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, however, 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.”