Bruno Fernandes has been the focal point of Manchester United’s disappointing start to the 2026-27 Premier League season, with three goals and one assist in six games and the club collecting just six points, 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 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 last season, 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 managed. In the seven-game run that swept 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 was reminiscent of Eric Cantona in the 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 numbers are far less impressive.

Fernandes has played every minute of United’s six Premier League games. His three goals and one assist all came in the second game of the campaign, against Ipswich, which remains his side’s only win so far. The numbers are actually better than last term, when he scored twice in the opening six games and created none. At that stage, however, Fernandes was playing in the deeper midfield role that Ruben Amorim preferred.

A closer look at the numbers

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 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 produced last season.

More startling still, 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 go some way to explaining why United have struggled so badly. But is Fernandes a reason for the club’s malaise, or a symptom of it?

Fitness and form

There is uncertainty over the Portugal playmaker’s fitness. Fernandes rarely misses a game, yet he was left out of the recent Nations League encounter with 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 view the issue as a serious 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 support

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 now clearly being felt. Even Casemiro’s biggest admirers could not claim United’s current low running stats are simply because the 34-year-old left for Inter Miami in the summer. His positioning and game knowledge remain of a high standard, and with him in midfield, Fernandes could take risks in the belief that United would not be overrun on the counter-attack if he lost the ball.

As for Sesko, his fresh shin injury extends a spell without involvement that is being keenly felt, and for which there is, as yet, no end date.

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 took on 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, the arrangement feels restrictive. He is not a player who lacks confidence, but it appears his decision-making is being affected. Against Tottenham at the weekend, it took him an incredible 23 minutes to complete a pass.

Carrick’s response

On Monday, as he looked ahead to the Atletico meeting, 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 start to improve, and that means Fernandes must do the same.

“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.”