Nordi Mukiele has questioned whether arrogance is behind Sunderland's alarming Premier League slide. The defender's blunt assessment followed a 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth that leaves the club second from bottom with just four points from seven games.

"We are not good enough. Why? I don't know," Mukiele told reporters. "Maybe because we became arrogant, this is what I think."

Head coach Regis le Bris was equally damning after a performance he described as "below the level". "It's hard to take, hard to digest," he said. The loss at the Vitality Stadium was Sunderland's fourth consecutive in the league, a run that has seen them concede 14 goals while scoring only six. According to Opta, they have committed more errors directly leading to goals than any other side in the division this season, with five.

Defensive collapse

The latest defensive collapse began in the sixth minute. Recent loan signing Kevin Danso was outmuscled by Bournemouth's Francisco Evanilson, who set up Marcus Tavernier to score. Danso's nightmare continued eleven minutes later when he was sent off for dragging down Evanilson when the striker was clean through. The second goal came just after half-time, a weak backpass from Omar Alderete that goalkeeper Robin Roefs could not reach, allowing Evanilson to tap in. Alderete and Danso are two of only three players in the entire league to have made multiple errors leading to goals this term.

This defensive frailty marks a stark contrast to last season's successful return to the top flight, which ended with a Europa League qualification. After seven games a year ago, Sunderland had 11 points and sat ninth. Now, with four points, they are 19th and a massive 17 points behind leaders Manchester City. Their struggles are amplified by a perfect record in Europe, with wins over AZ Alkmaar and Torreense, but defeats in both league games immediately following those continental outings.

Squad depth tested

A significant summer investment of around £60 million on five new recruits, following a £161 million outlay after promotion, was meant to solidify the squad. While key players like captain Granit Xhaka were retained, the absence of top scorer Brian Brobbey, who has three goals in five appearances but is out with a hamstring injury, has been keenly felt. The lack of attacking threat was glaring at Bournemouth, where Sunderland managed only three off-target shots, the lowest tally for any team in a Premier League match this season.

The immediate task is to halt this slide before a home fixture against seventh-placed Leeds United on 25 October. Fans can view the full fixtures list as the team seeks to rediscover the form that brought European football back to the Stadium of Light. The next result will be key for a squad now openly questioning its own mentality.

Read the full report at BBC Sport Football