Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes wants his side to switch focus to the clash against Chelsea following derby loss.
Phil Foden scored the opener, and Erling Haaland got the other two, as City delivered a commanding performance in the first Manchester derby of the season.
United, who struggled to create clear chances, have now lost two of their opening five Premier League matches.
Speaking to manutd.com, Fernandes admitted the result was a tough one to take but insisted there were positives in United’s display.
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“You have to look at what we did well,” he said. “It was obviously not enough because you want to win football games, not just see positives. We created chances but did not score, and we conceded goals that should have been avoided.
“For the first one we needed to be braver, the second came from a throw-in, and for the third we should have been better positioned to stop the counter.”
Asked about manager Ruben Amorim’s tactical approach, Fernandes was quick to back the new coach.
“We play with a back five, sometimes a back four or three, whatever you want to call it. It is not about the system, it is about the players being aggressive at the right moments. If we do not step up, the midfield gets overloaded.
“The result was very bad, but on the ball we were positive and brave,” he added.
Amorim, who took charge in the summer, has called for patience as United adapt to his methods.
The Portuguese coach said after the match that his side “must learn quickly from mistakes” and stressed that consistency will be key in the coming weeks.
United will look to bounce back when they host Chelsea at Old Trafford on 20 September. United are 14th on the Premier League table with four points, while Chelsea are fifth with eight points after four matches.