BRUNO FERNANDES SAYS Manchester United are making it “too easy” for opponents as the frustrated midfielder reflected on all too familiar issues in the chastening defeat to Manchester City.
A fortnight on from the 5-0 home humiliation by arch-rivals Liverpool, their near neighbours came to Old Trafford and inflicted another home loss on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
The Norwegian is under fresh scrutiny and pressure after City won in a far more comfortable manner than the 2-0 scoreline suggests, with United struggling in and out of possession.
Poor defending led to Eric Bailly’s own goal and then Bernardo Silva scoring on the stroke of half-time, leaving Fernandes to fume about costly traits.
“Obviously everyone is frustrated about the result, about the performance too,” the Portuguese said.
“We know we can do much better and we know this is not enough for a player who is representing this big club. We have to look at the mirror.
“I’m saying again the same things probably from the last interview, but that’s it.
“We have to look at ourselves, everyone at his home, understand what they can do better to help the team.
“We just have to apologise to the fans and that’s it because it was not good enough from us.
“Great atmosphere they create. They pushed us until the end, they tried to give that energy to us but from us it was not enough.”
City opened the scoring seven minutes into proceedings when Bailly turned home a cross from Joao Cancelo, whose hopeful clipped cross late in the first half Luke Shaw thought he was seeing out until Silva nipped in.
There were countless poor defensive moments by United throughout a match that would have got far uglier had David De Gea not produced a string of superb saves between the visitors’ goals.
“It’s always a bad time to concede a goal,” Fernandes said. “The problem is the way we concede goals. It’s too easy.
“As I said many, many times, if was not David again the result could be much more higher and worse for us.
“We have to protect better, David, because he is protecting us a lot and we have to help him because he cannot make every game eight, nine saves and then still concede goals.”
United had only been three points behind City going into the match, but the loss means they ended Saturday as close to Burnley in the final relegation spot as Premier League leaders Chelsea.
“City was much better than us,” Fernandes told MUTV. “They go around the pitch, they touch the ball many times, they make us run.
“It’s hard to play against them. They are good and we knew that.
“Obviously when they go up with the result it’s even worse. They played much better than us today and that’s it.”
The international break comes as welcome respite to those connected to United, who return to action after the international break at Watford.
“Yeah, it will be long but now it’s time for everyone to focus on the national team who goes on the national team,” the Portuguese added.
“The ones who stay here try to work hard, recover well and be ready for the games that are coming.”
It wasn’t tongue in cheek though. Crook has has several discussions on his shows about this. Fair play to Ferguson for slapping that down the way he did
It was a question and he answered it perfectly. My god… the drama.
@IrishOwl: the same question he has answered a few times already.with crook been the “chief football correspondent” thought he would know the answer coming better than most.he was 100% been smart and trying make light of it now. Gobsh**t for talksh**t.
@Paully kells: think your a bitter man paulie. always angry. maybe open a beer and relax a bit.
We have had our fair share of English born players playing for Ireland, not to mention the hatred towards two current English internationals who were born and grew up in England. We had a CEO that wanted to be the 33rd team in a world cup. Don’t think we’re in any position to criticize these questions.
@Louise Murphy: he’s not bitter at all Lou, I enjoy Paullys comments here and on this occasion he is right. Mute him if it annoys you.
@Louise Murphy: not atal..but I’d say the young lad is getting rather sick of the same question over and over..he’s made it clear…take care
Why do the Sky sports commentators pronounce the foreign player’s names properly eg Henry or Pires , bit they don’t pay the irish player’s the same respect eg Moran, Kernaghan, Hourihane (though they do pronounce this name properly now since he took them up on it live on television)?
@Louis Jacob: Probably for the same reason Hollywood can’t do the Irish accent.
@Louis Jacob: bit they dont?
The Brits have such a polite way of being ignorant.
I suspect a lot of German fans would like to see Harry Kane line out for them. But the English wouldn’t take it too well if he was constantly pestered about it. Tin ear stuff really..
Crook-cheif football correspondent for talk sh**t he hasn’t much between the ears,and he knows damn well he was been disrespectful, well done to Evan with he’s reply put him into place.
The audacity of that question !!
Ignorant on so many levels. Ferguson is ineligible for England now. He doesn’t feel English at all. He is Irish and proud, born and bred here with an Irish father. Yes his mother is English but very disrespectful to be still asking him now.
Talk Sport is trash!
And Rice can’t remember singing come out you black and tans now
I’m all mixed up regarding the rules, does anyone actually know what they are?
You don’t hear them asking any of the English players why they are committed to England……..
A lit bit of English mischief to get some harmless revenge for the abuse Rice and Grealish got when they switched over.
@John Pembroke: deserved all the abuse they got, pair of shitehawks