Nordi Mukiele questions Sunderland attitude after Bournemouth defeat

Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele has questioned whether his teammates have become arrogant following Sunday's 2-0 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth.

Goals from Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson secured Bournemouth's first league victory of the season, while Kevin Danso's first-half red card left Sunderland facing an uphill battle at the Vitality Stadium.

The defeat leaves Regis Le Bris's side 19th in the table with four points from seven matches, a dramatic contrast to last season's Europa League qualification.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Mukiele admitted Sunderland's performances have fallen well below expectations.

"This game is what we [have been like] from the beginning of the season to be honest with you," he said.

"We are not good enough."

The former Paris Saint-Germain defender suggested last season's success may have affected the squad's mentality.

"We deserve to be where we are today, definitely. Why? I don't know. Maybe because we became arrogant, this is what I think."

His comments underline the frustration surrounding Sunderland's difficult start to the campaign.

The Black Cats have lost five of their opening seven league fixtures, including four consecutive defeats.

Bournemouth made the perfect start when Tavernier opened the scoring inside six minutes.

Sunderland's task became considerably harder after Danso was dismissed, and Evanilson added a second goal after the interval.

Marco Rose's side controlled 65% of possession and generated 4.32 expected goals, compared with just 0.07 for Sunderland.

Those figures highlight the visitors' attacking struggles, with Le Bris unable to find a response despite the urgency of their league position.

Sunderland have enjoyed a more positive start in Europe, winning their opening two Europa League matches against AZ Alkmaar and Torreense.

However, their domestic form remains a major concern.

They could fall to the bottom of the Premier League on Monday if Tottenham avoid defeat against Coventry City.

Le Bris must address Sunderland's poor domestic form and rebuild confidence after four consecutive league defeats.

For Mukiele and his teammates, the immediate priority is translating their encouraging European performances into Premier League results before their relegation concerns deepen.