Newcastle United suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat at the hands of Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Sunday, with Isaac Hayden’s first-half dismissal proving disastrous.
It allowed the hosts to run riot, but the visitors didn’t put up any fight from start to finish, and such tepid performances could put their Premier League survival in jeopardy.
Newcastle skipper Jamaal Lascelles was far from pleased with his side’s lacklustre display against the Foxes, and he didn’t mince words in his post-match comments when talking to the reporters.
“It was terrible from the boys. It’s No one’s fault to blame but ourselves. We still had 10 men on the pitch. Leaking in five goals is not good enough. It’s not acceptable. We do need to look at ourselves in the mirror. I don’t think I have been here and conceded five goals. You at least have to make it hard for them,” the Magpies’ defender told Sky Sports (as reported by Sportsmail).
“Just the way we conceded the goals. It’s never happened. The boys do care, and obviously a man down is a disadvantage but you can still roll your sleeves up and we didn’t do that.
“It’s always going to be hard with 10 men but you have to do the simple things. It’s just not good enough. I don’t want to say we gave up but we need to sit down because it’s not acceptable.”
Match of the day presenter and former Leicester striker Gary Lineker fully agreed with Lascelles’ decision to lay into his side’s performance, and here is how he reacted to the defender’s comments on Twitter:
Frank and refreshingly honest words from a very disgruntled @NUFC captain, @Lascelles16.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 29, 2019
Newcastle are now 19th in the league table having lost four of their seven league games, and they have to do much more better if they are to remain in the English top-flight come May.
Head coach Steve Bruce is now under immense pressure, and has a huge job on his hands having struggled to win over the fans upon his appointment following Rafa Benitez’s departure.
Newcastle host Manchester United next before travelling to Chelsea after the international break, and those aren’t the ideal games a struggling side will relish.
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