Is Bruno Fernandes’ form a symptom or a cause of Man Utd’s struggles?

Bruno Fernandes is struggling this season, one campaign after a record-breaking run that earned him the PFA Player of the Year award. Manchester United have collected just six points from their opening six Premier League games, their worst league start in 40 years.

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 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.

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 netted. In the 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 the 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 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 against Ipswich in the second game of the campaign, which remains his side’s only league win.

A Drop in Output

The numbers are better than last term, when he scored twice in the opening six games and created none. However, Fernandes was then playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred.

This season he is taking more shots than at any point in his career apart from his best campaign. He averages 3.3 shots per game, second only to his 3.5 in 2020-21. Yet 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.

Even more striking, 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. Last season, Fernandes averaged one per game.

These figures help explain why United have struggled so badly. The club’s start is their worst 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 and Management Backing

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 against Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK.

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 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. Casemiro left for Inter Miami in the summer, but his positioning and game knowledge remain of a high standard. With him in midfield, Fernandes could take risks, trusting United would not be overrun on the counter-attack if he lost the ball.

Sesko’s fresh shin injury extends a spell without involvement that is being keenly felt, and there is no return date yet.

The club’s power brokers ignored calls for more striking support in the summer and instead strengthened 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 took the role instead, but he repeatedly dropped deep into the space Fernandes occupied, and the pair never found an effective way of working around each other.

For Fernandes, this 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 just to complete a pass.

Carrick Stands By His Captain

On Monday, ahead of the Champions League meeting with Atletico, 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 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.”