JOHN Mousinho admits to being baffled by Oxford United’s sudden slump in form.

Pep Clotet’s side have lost their last three games to slip down the Sky Bet League One table.

While the results are a concern, if anything the performances are more troubling as Blackpool, Walsall and Bury have all exploited a side which has looked vulnerable defensively and light up front.

But a fortnight ago, United were only seconds away from beating promotion hopefuls Bradford City, which would have capped a strong start to the season.

“I don’t think we can quite believe it,” Mousinho admitted.

“I don’t know if that last-minute goal against Bradford (for a 2-2 draw) knocked us a bit.

“It’s not good enough if it did, but maybe that’s what’s happened.

“It’s a bit of a head-scratcher coming off the back of Gillingham (a 3-0 win) and Bradford where there have been excellent performances, even MK Dons (1-1) before that.

“It’s tough. We know we have it in us and we’ve got to find it again.”

United have not lost three successive games since August 2014 and badly need a positive result of some description at high-flying Peterborough United on Saturday.

Mousinho is one of the squad’s most experienced players, who will be key to finding a way out of the rut.

He said: “We obviously have a bit of work to do here and there, but we’re not a million miles off it because we have put in brilliant performances this season.

“In the space of two weeks we’ve put in brilliant and terrible performances.

“When you win games don’t get too carried away – maybe we got slightly carried away.

“When you lose games don’t be down in the dumps and think it’s the end of the world.”