Man Utd captain Bruno Fernandes sends motivational message to Andre Onana after goalkeeper drops howler in Champions League defeat to Bayern

• Onana made mistake for opening goal
• United lose 4-3 to Bayern Munich
• Fernandes say Onana not the only one to blame

WHAT HAPPENED? The Red Devils' return to the highest table of European football started off with a 4-3 defeat at Bayern on Wednesday night. The defeat came after the Red Devils lost three of their first five games for the first time in the Premier League era.

At the Allianz Arena, Erik ten Hag's team made an unexpectedly strong start to the Group A match, only for summer addition Onana to miraculously allow a low Leroy Sane shot to sneak in. After being comforted by teammates, the 27-year-old put his head on the ground and subsequently said that he had "let the team down" and that United "didn't win today, it's because of me."

WHAT THEY SAID: Captain Fernandes has now sent a message to the goalkeeper and told him to stop blaming himself for the loss, according to The Independent.

“It’s not about Andre,” he said. “Andre is a great goalkeeper. He will keep giving us a lot of points, and a lot of saves. He hasn’t to take any blame for nothing. We have to take the blame as a team, that we’re going to go through this moment together because we are strong as a team.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: After Onana's error, Serge Gnabry scored, and then Harry Kane converted a penalty kick immediately after Rasmus Hojlund had restored parity early in the second half. An exciting finish to the game saw Casemiro score twice, either side of Mathys Tel's injury-time goal, as United showed character but ultimately fell short for the fourth time in five games.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

(C)Getty Images

Getty Images

WHAT NEXT? Ten Hag will be hoping to have more options to choose from at Turf Moor on Saturday, September 23, having headed to Bayern without nine injured players.