Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles has said that his club’s players are hurt as much as the fans due to their current form.
The Magpies have started the season in poor form and have just taken one point from their four games played so far. They are in 18th position on the standings and above only Burnley and woeful West Ham.
The players of the club have come under scathing criticism by fans and pundits with some even accusing them of playing lethargically.
The Toon Army also suffered the humiliation of being eliminated from this season’s Carabao Cup at the hands of mediocre Championship club Nottingham Forest.
Next up for Rafa Benitez’s side is a tough assignment against Arsenal.
The Gunners will go into the game as favorites having won their last two games against West Ham and Cardiff.
Benitez’s side can, however, take heart from the fact that they will be playing at home.
In light of Newcastle’s worrisome form, Lascelles says that the players are as affected as the fans.
As reported by The Chronicle, he said: “Football, it kind of prioritises our whole lives; we put everything into it, with diet restrictions, preparations, anxiety before games. You put your whole life into football, and when you get just one victory it can make your whole week so much better. When you lose on a Saturday, your week can be terrible, and that’s how we all feel about it. That’s how important it is to us. That’s why we train as hard as we do; to give ourselves every possible chance of going out there on a Saturday and getting three points. At the end of the day, it’s not just about us; it’s about 52,000 Geordies that are paying good money to watch us play, the staff here working late to do their job, too.”
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