Bruno Fernandes has been one of Manchester United’s most influential players over the past two seasons, but his form has dipped sharply this term, and that decline is now central to the club’s struggles. Seven weeks after collecting the PFA Player of the Year award, the captain has three goals and one assist in six Premier League games, and United have taken just six points from those matches.
The award came in recognition of a remarkable 2025-26 campaign. Fernandes also won the Premier League and Football Writers’ versions of the honour, reflecting his part in his side’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.
His influence was most striking towards the end of that season. Over the final 11 games, Fernandes either scored or created 12 of United’s 21 goals. In the seven-game run that returned United to 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 reminiscent of Eric Cantona in the 1995-96 title-winning campaign, when he scored in six successive games, five of them in matches where United scored only once.
At the award ceremony, Fernandes struck a note of humility. “It was a special season for me,” he told the 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. Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six league games. His three goals and one assist all came in the second match of the campaign, a win against Ipswich, which remains United’s only victory so far.
The output is still better than last season’s start, when he scored twice in the opening six games and created nothing. However, Fernandes was then operating in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred.
A drop in quality and creativity
Fernandes is attempting plenty of efforts. His average of 3.3 shots per game is his second highest for shots, behind only the 3.5 he averaged in 2020-21. However, his average of 0.8 shots on target is joint-second lowest of his time at Old Trafford. His chance creation has also fallen to 2.5 per game, the second lowest of his career at the club and significantly down on the 4.0 he produced last season.
The most striking figure concerns big chances. Fernandes has created just one 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.
These numbers help explain why United have collected just six points from six games, their worst league start in 40 years. The last time they began a league campaign so poorly, Ron Atkinson was sacked to make way for Sir Alex Ferguson. The question now is whether Fernandes is a reason for United’s malaise or a symptom of it.
Fitness and the manager’s response
Fernandes’ fitness has also been a talking point. The Portugal playmaker rarely misses matches, but he was left out of his country’s recent Nations League game against Norway. Jorge Jesus, the national team boss, said the former Sporting player was “playing through pain”.
Fernandes did return for the final two internationals of the break, and he played the full 90 minutes in the 4-0 Champions League win against Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK. Ahead of Tuesday’s match against Atletico Madrid, United manager Michael Carrick does not see it as a problem.
“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 and structure
Fernandes’ best spell came alongside Benjamin Sesko in the number nine role, with veteran Brazilian Casemiro anchoring 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 both players is now clear. Casemiro has left for Inter Miami, but his positioning and game knowledge were of a high standard, and they gave Fernandes the confidence 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 being keenly felt, and there is no end date for his return.
United’s hierarchy did not bring in extra striking support over the summer, instead strengthening Carrick’s midfield. A plan to cover Sesko’s initial absence by using Mbeumo as a number nine had to be abandoned when Amad Diallo suffered an ankle injury before the opening game at Hull. Matheus Cunha was asked to fill the role, but he repeatedly dropped deep into the space Fernandes was occupying, and the pair never found an effective way of working around each other.
For Fernandes, that arrangement 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.
On Monday, Carrick said no one was “guaranteed” a place in his team. He surrounded that comment with enough caveats to suggest that leaving out his captain is not under consideration.
“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.”
United need to improve, and that means Fernandes must do the same.