![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/football\/football-thumb\/football-thumb.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has apologised for an unacceptable performance against Bournemouth lacking the requisite quality, effort and aggression.<\/p>\n
Erik ten Hag won the Carabao Cup during a promising first season in charge but the Dutchman\u2019s second campaign has been a roller coaster with more lows than highs.<\/p>\n
United\u2019s season reached a nadir on Saturday afternoon as Bournemouth won at Old Trafford for the first time in their history, with the hosts fortunate to escape with only a 3-0 defeat.<\/p>\n
It was a remarkable drop-off from Wednesday\u2019s 2-1 win against Chelsea and led exasperated Ten Hag to admit they are not good enough to play on a high level consistently.<\/p>\n
\u201c(I want) to apologise for the performance,\u201d skipper Fernandes said. \u201cIt was not acceptable, starting on me. I\u2019m not talking about anyone else.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think everyone agrees in the dressing room that the performance was (not) at our level and we have to perform much better.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was underperforming on quality-wise, on effort-wise and not aggressive as we did in the last game against Chelsea.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you don\u2019t do your job, you\u2019re not going to win the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Similar words and explanations have been heard during a challenging season that has seen United lose 11 of their 23 matches in all competitions.<\/p>\n
They have won 11 and drawn the other, but the eye-watering number of defeats means pressure is mounting on Ten Hag and his team.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know (why it was so different to Chelsea) but it\u2019s been consistently like (this),\u201d Fernandes told MUTV. \u201cWhen we win a game, the next one we don\u2019t perform in the same way we did before.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s like a lack of concentration or focus or something else, but it\u2019s something that we have to be aware that after winning a game we have to get that consistency of winning games.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven sometimes (if we are) underperforming but getting the result.\u201d<\/p>\n
United now need to press reset and find the right attitude to avoid being sent into a tailspin at the end of a crucial week.<\/p>\n
First up comes Tuesday\u2019s key Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, with the Red Devils only progressing if they win and the other Group A game between Copenhagen and Galatasaray ends in a draw.<\/p>\n
Then comes a Premier League trip to rivals Liverpool next Sunday \u2013 a match Fernandes will miss after collecting his fifth booking of the season against Bournemouth.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously it\u2019s good (that we play soon),\u201d Fernandes said. \u201cObviously we know that now the next game is going to be really tough.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to win and obviously wait for a good result on the other game for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we have to do our job first of all, and thinking and understanding that is going to be a tough game for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we are capable, more than able, to get the result.\u201d<\/p>\n
While United\u2019s problems are pored over in minute detail, things are looking far rosier on the south coast.<\/p>\n
Summer appointment Andoni Iraola has overseen a superb upturn in recent weeks at Bournemouth.<\/p>\n
Dominic Solanke, Philip Billing and Marcos Senesi scored the goals in a match that goes down as one of the Cherries\u2019 greatest ever results.<\/p>\n
Asked where the win rated in the club\u2019s recent history, long-serving right-back Adam Smith told BBC Radio Solent: \u201cI\u2019d say it\u2019s number one.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, it\u2019s the Theatre of Dreams and we had never won here. It was tough at times and we suffered. But we were playing Manchester United.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the lads will remember it for a long time. We kept a clean sheet and it probably should have maybe have been 4-0. It was unbelievable for the fans.\u201d<\/p>\n
A positive development for United was midfielder Casemiro stepping up his recovery from injury.<\/p>\n
The club on Sunday evening issued an update on the Brazil international, who has not played since November 1, saying he had been training alone at their Carrington base that day while his team-mates took part in a recovery session.<\/p>\n