Bruno Fernandes has admitted that Manchester United's players are currently experiencing a "lack of confidence" after being beaten 3-1 by Brighton at Old Trafford on Sunday.

United slumped to their fourth defeat in their last six Premier League matches as goals from Yankuba Minteh, Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter sealed a third successive win at Old Trafford for the Seagulls.

Minteh fired Brighton into a fifth-minute lead, meeting Mitoma's square ball, before Fernandes hauled United level just under 20 minutes later when he scored a penalty after Joshua Zirkzee had been dragged down inside the box.

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Despite ending the first half the stronger, United failed to take control after the break, conceding two really cheap goals to fall to a fourth defeat in their last five home games.

United have earned credit for refusing to roll over after conceding in recent matches, but Fernandes felt the team failed to show the same level of desire as they had done previously.

"I think in the second half we showed the opposite," Fernandes told MUTV. "We could have stayed in the game, even when we conceded to go to 2-1, but then I think it was a little bit of a lack of belief in that moment that we could change the game and get back into the game.

"Then you concede to go to 3-1 and everything from then on was much more difficult, but we still had time to come back into the game and do something different.

"For me, what worries me the most is the lack of confidence that we have at the moment to do the things that we are able to do. I don't mind anyone losing the ball for trying something to help the team.

"We need to get the best out of the players and we need the players to trust themselves that they are able to turn things around for ourselves."

Fernandes also wants to see United improve their bravery levels when in possession of the ball inside the final third, adding: "I think we started very badly in the game and then we came back.

"I think in the first half we were the better team but lacked a little bit of decision making in the last third and at the same time we lacked a little bit of consistency to play in the last third, to stay more on the ball and be brave to pin them back and play from there. That is something that we have to improve."