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

Bruno Fernandes has scored three goals and provided one assist in Manchester United’s six Premier League games this season, a sharp contrast with the form that earned him 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. He scored nine league goals and claimed 21 assists last season, breaking a Premier League record jointly held by Thierry Henry and Kevin de Bruyne.

Over the final 11 games of last season, 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 a remarkable run, 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.

Speaking at the Manchester Opera House, Fernandes told an appreciative audience: “It was a special season for me. 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 league games. His three goals all came against Ipswich in the second match of the campaign, which remains United’s only win so far. His numbers are still better than last season’s opening six games, when he scored twice and created nothing. However, Fernandes was then playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred.

This season, Fernandes is attempting more shots than at any point in his United career except one. He averages 3.3 shots per game, second only to his best of 3.5 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 tenure and well down on the 4.0 he produced last season.

Even more startlingly, he has created just one “big chance” so far, the lofted pass that sent Bryan Mbeumo clear of the Ipswich defence on 30 August. Last season, he averaged one per game.

These figures partly explain why United have collected only six points from their opening six games. It is their worst start to a league campaign in 40 years, when Ron Atkinson was sacked to make way for Sir Alex Ferguson.

So is Fernandes a cause of United’s problems, or a symptom of them?

Fitness Questions

Questions also surround the Portugal playmaker’s fitness. Fernandes rarely misses games, but he was left out of the recent Nations League match against Norway. National team boss Jorge Jesus said the former Sporting midfielder was “playing through pain”.

Fernandes did return for the final two internationals of the extended break, and 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 see his fitness as a concern 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

When Fernandes was at his most prolific towards the end of last season, Benjamin Sesko was a regular in the number nine role, and veteran Brazilian Casemiro anchored the midfield. Of Sesko’s nine league goals 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 admirers would struggle to argue that United’s current low running numbers stem from his departure. His positioning and game knowledge remain of a high standard. Fernandes could take risks, confident that 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, as yet, no end date for it.

The club’s decision-makers 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 had to be abandoned when Amad Diallo suffered an ankle injury just before the opening game at Hull. Matheus Cunha took on 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, the setup 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, Carrick said that no one was “guaranteed” a place in his team. He added enough caveats, however, to suggest that leaving out his captain is not on his mind.

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.”