Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes has expressed regret for his unsatisfactory performance against Bournemouth, which lacked the necessary vigour, intensity, and quality.
After a strong first season in charge, Erik ten Hag won the Carabao Cup, but his second season has been more of a roller coaster with more lows than highs.
On Saturday afternoon, United’s title chase came to an end when Bournemouth triumphed at Old Trafford for the first time ever. The hosts were lucky to only lose 3-0.
Ten Hag was so frustrated that he had to acknowledge that his team isn’t good enough to play at a high level all the time. It was a shocking decline from their 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Wednesday.
“I would like to express my regret for the performance,” captain Fernandes stated. “It was unacceptable, beginning with me. I am not referring to any other person.
“However, I believe that everyone in the changing room feels that we need to improve our performance because it was not up to par.
It was not as aggressive as we were in the previous game against Chelsea, and it was underperforming in terms of effort and quality.
“You won’t win the game if you don’t do your job.”
During a difficult season in which United has lost 11 of its 23 games across all competitions, similar statements and justifications have been made.
Although they have won eleven games and drawn the other, Ten Hag and his squad are under increasing pressure due to the startlingly high number of losses.
The next game is Tuesday’s crucial Champions League matchup against Bayern Munich; the Red Devils advance only if they triumph and Copenhagen and Galatasaray’s other Group A match ends in a draw.
Then on Sunday is a Premier League trip to Liverpool, a match Fernandes will miss due to his fifth booking of the year against Bournemouth.
