Bruno Fernandes has acknowledged the bravery of his Manchester United colleagues during the loss to Liverpool and refused to highlight individual errors.

Fernandes likened our performance in the first 30 minutes of the contest to our recent victory over Fulham, but conceded that Liverpool were clinical when mistakes led to opportunities for them to score.

“We started the game really well and got more chances,” he told Sky Sports afterwards. “We have to be more clinical, this happened against Fulham too. They [Liverpool] were clinical.”

Highlights: United v Liverpool

“I don’t look at the stats but the game was tight,” he added.

With United edging possession, both teams having the same number of shots on target and a similar number of touches in each other’s penalty area, that rings true, regardless of how the defeat.

As captain, Fernandes is determined the Reds keep sticking together and he is also backing his team-mates’ willingness to take risks and be brave in possession.

“We don’t need to be pointing fingers at everyone, that won’t help us now,” he said.

“What’s the point in saying Casemiro lost the ball or Kobbie [Mainoo] lost the ball? They lost the ball because they wanted to be brave. It’s part of football. Don’t make it individual.”

Ten Hag: We have to live with the result

Nothing changes how important every player is to the overall group.

“Casemiro is more experienced than me. I don’t need to tell him anything, he knows what football is about. He’s played for the two best clubs in the world,” Bruno continued.

“Kobbie is an excellent kid. I want him to try more and do this because it’s part of his game. They are huge players for us and will keep being.”

Ten Hag: We have to live with the result

Erik ten Hag has admitted Liverpool’s clinical finishing contributed to Manchester United’s undoing in the 3-0 defeat to the Merseysiders.

Arne Slot’s side picked up their third win on the trot by scoring with each of their three shots on target and were ruthless in punishing our losses of possession in key areas.

It made for uncomfortable viewing at Old Trafford and the manager provided his analysis of a difficult afternoon and fielded questions on the withdrawal of Casemiro at half-time and replacing Alejandro Garnacho when Amad was introduced.

Check out some of what Erik had to say to the official broadcasters after the game…

Ten Hag: They were clinical

WE HAVE TO BE HUMBLE

“I think the first half an hour was okay. We made a mistake in defensive organisation for the disallowed goal but we were in the game. It was equal, level, and then we had a great structure in building up but then made a big error and, with the quality of Liverpool, they took benefit of that. They took their chances so well. We have to be humble. We have to give the compliments to Liverpool but, of course, we are not happy.”

IMPROVEMENT REQUIRED

“I’m very disappointed, especially when you lose 3-0 to Liverpool. The game is over and we have to live with the result. We have to continue, bounce back and we need to improve the team. Individuals have to improve and, also fitness-wise, we have to improve. We will be fine. We are going for trophies and we have a lot to play for.”

CASEMIRO’S SUBSTITUTION

“It was tactical. We were 2-0 down against Liverpool and the midfield will be open. You need legs and we brought in a young player who has legs in Toby Collyer. Individual errors are part of football. It’s not true [that Case left early]. He was in the dressing room at full-time.”

REACTION TO THE SECOND-HALF SUB

“First of all, I’m happy as it’s a good question but, first of all, Marcus [Rashford] created two great chances for Zirkzee. In the second place, it was Garnacho’s first start and Zirkzee’s first start. We know Rashy can play centre-forward and one of the ideas was to bring off Zirkzee and Garnacho and leaving Rashford on. He created two very good chances. I know if he keeps working, keeps fighting like he is now, it will come and he will score goals.”

WHAT IS NEXT

“Always, you have to do hard work. We can’t work with the team [in the international break] but we know where we want to go. We have to keep working on our structures, work on the fitness because some of our players hopefully play some games in the UEFA Nations League in the coming weeks. Also, I hope they stay fit.”

ANY POSITIVES?

“I think the team showed resilience and kept fighting for each other. They stuck together and were still executing the plan. They dealt with the mistakes they made and I think that is also a platform to continue on with the season.”

Match report: United 0 Liverpool 3

Manchester United slipped to a frustrating 3-0 defeat to our biggest rivals, Liverpool, on a day to forget at Old Trafford.

Luis Diaz struck twice in the first half, after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s early effort was ruled out by VAR, and Mohamed Salah, a perennial thorn in our side, added a third with all of the goals coming from costly turnovers of possession.

After unveiling Manuel Ugarte, our deadline-day signing, to the fans beforehand, Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee made their maiden starts after their summer moves from Bayern Munich, but the occasion was not as we had hoped it would be.

Joshua Zirkzee had United’s best two efforts on goal.

FIRST HALF – DIAZ DOUBLE DENTS REDS’ BID

United made a lively start, roared on by our passionate support, but without troubling Alisson in the visitors’ goal.

Out of nowhere, Liverpool’s first real attack seemed to have produced the opening goal. Ryan Gravenberch advanced into space to feed Diaz and his cross flicked off Salah before Alexander-Arnold got his shot away. The ball was over the line before Diogo Dalot’s intervention and the England defender celebrated by kissing the TV camera. However, his joy was premature on this occasion, as VAR ruled Salah was offside when Diaz centred.

It was a clear let off, though, for Erik ten Hag’s side and things were pretty even for a spell afterwards. There were precious few chances, even if events did remain entertaining, before the Merseysiders made the breakthrough on 35 minutes. Casemiro’s pass was intercepted by Gravenberch and sparked a five-on-three situation. Gravenberch picked out Salah and his cross on the run was nodded in by Diaz at the far post, beating Dominik Szoboszlai to the punch.

The Reds’ only shot of the half was mishandled by Alisson, as Noussair Mazraoui’s strike went through Virgil van Dijk’s legs after Bruno Fernandes’s cross rebounded to him, but there were white shirts on hand to clear.

And things got worse, in the 42nd minute, when Casemiro was felled by Diaz and most of the ground expected a free-kick to be awarded. When referee Anthony Taylor waved play on, Salah was again able to supply an assist with Diaz’s first-time finish swept past Andre Onana’s left hand. Replays showed Diaz did get a touch on the ball in the challenge and there was no suggestion VAR would intervene this time.

SECOND HALF – A LONG 45 MINUTES FOR UNITEDToby Collyer replaced Casemiro at the interval to make his Premier League debut and one of his first involvements was to nod down for Zirkzee to fire in a shot that was palmed away by Alisson.

Alexander-Arnold’s shot was blocked by De Ligt with the flag up for offside in any case but a third goal, seconds later, did put the result realistically beyond any doubt. Kobbie Mainoo was outmuscled by Alexis MacAlllister and Szoboszlai teed Salah up for a clinical finish beyond Onana’s dive.

Salah had two further chances inside a matter of minutes, firing over the top before seeing a shot snake wide via a deflection off Dalot inside the area.

Zirkzee had two great chances to reduce the arrears, both created by Marcus Rashford, but his header was kept out by Alisson’s smart save and then his touch, on the stretch, could not find the target. Between those attempts, Liverpool substitute Cody Gakpo headed wide with his first touch and Reds defender Lisandro Martinez was not far away, when he hooked in an ambitious overhead kick from Amad’s centre.

That was one of our brighter moments from a very disappointing day at Old Trafford, as Arne Slot’s side made it three wins out of three for the Premier League campaign.

With an international break about to start, United’s next fixture is at Southampton on 14 September.

MATCH DETAILSUnited: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt (Maguire 69), Martinez, Dalot; Casemiro (Collyer 46), Mainoo; Garnacho (Amad 69), Fernandes (c), Rashford; Zirkzee (Eriksen 86).

Substitutes: Bayindir, Heaton, Evans, Antony, Wheatley.Booked: Zirkzee, Martinez, Mainoo, De Ligt.

Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold (Bradley 76), Konate, Van Dijk (c), Robertson (Tsimikas 83); Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Diaz (Gakpo 66); Jota (Nunez 76).Substitutes: Kelleher, Gomez, Quansah, Elliott, Endo.

Goals: Diaz 35, 42, Salah 56

Booked: Van Dijk.