Bruno Fernandes reveals his main worry after latest Man Utd defeat | OneFootball

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes says the team's lack of confidence is worrying him the most following Sunday’s troubling defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The game marked United's first loss of 2025 after promising recent results against Arsenal and Liverpool in the FA Cup and Premier League respectively. But it forms part of a wider slump that the squad has struggled to break all season – it's just three wins from Ruben Amorim's 11 league games in charge, stretching back almost two months, and six defeats over the same period.

Brighton broke the deadlock with a simple ball over the top inside the opening few minutes at Old Trafford. But while United hit back relatively well, dominating the remainder of the first half and pulling level when Fernandes himself converted from the penalty spot, they conceded again immediately after the restart and had no further response. It finished 3-1 in Brighton's favour.

"We could have stayed in the game at 2-1 [but] we also lacked a little bit of belief in that moment, where we could get back into the game and change the game," Fernandes rued, speaking to MUTV.

Man Utd had nothing more once Kaoru Mitoma restored Brighton's lead / Gareth Copley/GettyImages

"Then you concede to make it 3-1 and everything from there becomes a little bit more difficult. We still had time to come back into the game, we still had time to do something different but what worries me the most is the lack of confidence we have at the moment to do the things that we are able to do," the skipper lamented.

"I don't mind anyone losing the ball for trying something to try to help the team but we need to get the best out of the players. We need the players to trust themselves that they are able to turn things around for ourselves."

Brighton coach Fabian Hurzeler referred to United possessing "world class" players when he reflected on the game afterwards. But that level wasn't there to see. Next up are further challenging fixtures, at home to Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday, before travelling to Fulham on Sunday. Then it's an away day in Romania against FCSB, and Crystal Palace at home.