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.”
Good to see Sammy putting in good performances. He could turn out to be an excellent Internation too. Great to see strength and depth at centre in Munster too, Scannel, Farrel, Taute, Arnold and even Goggins.
It would be nice to see some Munster developed players break into the national team, and stay there. It has been a long time since Conor Murray and Simon Zebo did so. There are a number of players in the background but they really need to start producing more for Ireland.
@grandslamkbo: O’Mahony? I agree that we could do with more lads breaking in for regular games but there’s such a log jam of Leinster players…
@EnKy: POM, of course. My error, I meant backs. No reason to drag thinly veiled hostility towards Leinster in this. What Munster-developed players do you think are being unfairly kept out of the first team or regular squad positions for Leinster players? As an Irish supporter, I want to see the best for the national team. Every team has to do their part.
@grandslamkbo: last weekend there were 3 Leinster starters, 2 – munster, 1 Connacht and 1 Ulster. For the next match it’ll be 3 munster, 2 Leinster, 1 Connacht and 1 Ulster. Not sure how you figure munster should be doing more.
@Jim Demps: It was a pretty poor attempt at trolling
This guy has got some serious acceleration.
The abuse joe get and yet the work he puts into these younger players and bringing them through slowly but making sure each part of the foundation is rock solid. Those who buy into this learning set up and do the required work will become far better players for us in the medium and long term.
@Chris Mc: where you seeing all this abuse for Joe?
@Jim Demps: Ahhhh c’mon now… Even Ive hurled the odd bit of abuse at him. And i think he’s flippin great.
The criticism from fans is constant. No matter what he does there will be those who think he shouldve done differently. That’s just the territory of being a head coach. Everyone has an opinion, so no matter what choice Schmidt makes, someone will disagree
@Jim Demps: I just made it up
@Rudiger McMonihan: ya ur probably right. I’m always dumbfounded that he goes with toner.
Fine player with a big future ahead for Munster and Ireland.